This Christmas sees the release of the seventh UK 50p coin in The Snowman™ series. Just as watching the animated film has become an annual festive tradition for people around the world, so has buying our Snowman coins to collect or to give as gifts to loved ones.

Originally created by Raymond Briggs, The Snowman was first published as a wordless picture book in 1978. Beautifully illustrated with only pencil crayons, the story follows a boy, James, who builds a snowman in his garden on Christmas Eve. That night, an unforgettable adventure begins when The Snowman comes to life.

On 26 December 1982, the animated version of The Snowman premiered on Channel 4. Capturing the magic of Christmas, the enchanting film was a huge success and garnered global acclaim. It has been broadcast at Christmas every year since.