A NEW set of 50p coloured coins featuring some of Beatrix Potter's most beloved characters are being released by The Royal Mint.
It follows on from last year's coin collection celebrating the 150th anniversary of the author's birth, with coins featuring Peter Rabbit followed by Benjamin Bunny, Tom Kitten and Jeremy Fisher.
The printed colour designs on the silver proof 50p coins have been created to capture the hand-painted style of Potter's original illustrations.
These will include the intense red of Jeremy Fisher's jacket, the blue of Tom Kitten's pyjamas and the green of Benjamin Bunny's hat, according to the Royal Mint.
They were created by designer Emma Noble who has previously worked on pieces commemorating the Diamond Jubilee and Remembrance Sunday.
Anne Jessopp, of The Royal Mint, said: "While we always knew that the Beatrix Potter characters would be a huge hit, the enormous popularity of the 2016 set exceeded everyone's expectations.
"The coins sold out almost instantly as people raced to collect a complete set of the four friends. We're delighted to be able to present another group of her exquisite characters, giving them a new lease of life on our specially-designed coloured commemorative coins."
All four designs will find their way into people's pockets and purses later this year.
Potter's children's book The Tale Of Peter Rabbit, the first to feature the character, was an instant success after being picked up in 1902 by British children's publisher Frederick Warne & Co.
The story has never been out of print since then and more than 45 million copies have been sold worldwide.
Potter died in 1943 aged 77.
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