Highlights
- New commemorative 50p honours the long-running comic character
- Design features Dennis alongside his dog Gnasher
- Colour editions and visitor strike experience planned
A comic icon makes the jump to coinage
The Royal Mint has launched a commemorative 50p celebrating 75 years of Dennis the Menace, bringing one of Britain’s most recognisable comic figures into the world of collectable currency.
Created in partnership with Beano, the coin depicts the trouble-making schoolboy in his trademark red-and-black stripes, joined by his loyal dog Gnasher. Select editions feature colour printing to highlight the pair’s distinctive look.
From Dundee pages to national keepsake
Dennis first appeared in March 1951, while the comic itself debuted in 1938, published by Dundee-based DC Thomson. Over the decades, the title has introduced generations of readers to characters including Minnie the Minx, The Bash Street Kids and Roger the Dodger.
Mint officials said the design aims to capture the character’s irreverent spirit and enduring popularity, positioning the coin as both a nostalgic keepsake and a celebration of British comic culture.
Collectors’ editions and visitor experience
The coin went on sale via the Royal Mint website on Thursday morning, with prices beginning at £15 for a brilliant uncirculated version and £25 for colour editions.
From 26 February, visitors to the Royal Mint Experience in Llantrisant will also be able to strike their own Dennis the Menace 50p, adding an interactive element to the anniversary celebrations.
Marking decades of mischief
By immortalising Dennis on a circulating denomination, the release underscores the character’s place in British popular culture, a figure whose pranks and rebellious streak have remained a fixture of childhood reading for three quarters of a century.
Even as a student, Hockney resisted established normsGetty Images
He reportedly declined a knighthood on several occasions and once turned down a request to paint a portrait of Queen Elizabeth IIGetty Images
