Gruffalo's Child to go on limited edition 50p coin

Another character from popular children's tale The Gruffalo will appear on 50p coins to mark 20 years since the story was first published.

The Gruffalo's Child, the main character of the sequel sharing her name, will appear on several versions of the coin.

They will not enter general circulation but will be available to buy from the Royal Mint in precious metal finishes.

The book's illustrator Axel Scheffler said he was "honoured" that the Grufalo's offspring was being celebrated.

"It's wonderful to see the Gruffalo's Child follow in her father's footsteps by featuring on her very own 50p coin," added the series' author Julia Donaldson.

In 2019, The Gruffalo appeared on special edition 50p coins which now sell for much more than that.

Silver-finished ones go for between £10 to £20, while coloured ones sell for around £99 and gold-finished for about £1,000.

The new coins will pair The Gruffalo's Child with the "mouse in the woods", which are key features of the story, and some will also have colour in the design.

The books, written by Julia Donaldson, have earned several awards since the story's 2004 release.

An animated version of the story first aired on BBC One in 2011 on Christmas Day.

The Royal Mint, which is one of Britain’s oldest companies and the original maker of UK coins, has previously featured hugely popular children's characters on its coins, including Paddington, The Snowman, and Beatrix Potter favourites.

The Gruffalo series has sold more than 18 million copies worldwide, and has been translated into more than 100 languages.

A wooden sculpture of a sleeping Gruffalo in a forest near Bodmin in Cornwall was vandalised for a second time in July. The area has several Gruffalo sculptures attracting families who also go on the nearby Gruffalo party trail.