Back in 2019, The Royal Mint released something that instantly caught my attention – the Gruffalo 20th Anniversary Silver Proof 50p. Like many parents, I’ve read Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s Gruffalo more times than I can count, so when the coin was announced, I knew it had to be part of my stack. But this time, it wasn’t just about stacking silver – it was about creating something special for my children.
I bought one Gruffalo coin for each of them, making sure they would both have their own piece of the story captured in silver. These coins are struck in sterling silver and finished to proof standard, with full colour to bring Axel Scheffler’s illustrations to life. The Gruffalo himself stares out from the deep dark wood, just as he does in the book I used to read to them at bedtime. For me, that makes these coins more than collectibles – they’re little snapshots of their childhood, preserved forever in precious metal.
I’ll be the first to admit these coins were (and still are) incredibly overpriced compared to their actual silver content. And yet, I bought them all. Every release in the Gruffalo series found its way into our home. Because sometimes stacking isn’t just about weight or ROI – sometimes it’s about meaning. For my children, having these coins tucked away is like having a timeless reminder of the stories we shared, and for me, it’s a way of passing on something that will always hold value, even as fiat currency erodes.
One day, my kids might look back at their Gruffalo 50ps and see them as just part of their coin collection, but I’ll always see them as something more – family treasures that capture memories, love, and a little bit of magic in silver.