Description

The Snowman is a children's picture book without words by English author Raymond Briggs, first published in 1978 by Hamish Hamilton in the United Kingdom, and published by Random House in the United States in November of the same year. The book was adapted into a twenty-six-minute animated television special in 1982, which debuted on Channel 4 in the UK on 26 December. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. The animated special became prominent in British popular culture and its showings have since become an annual festive event.

The Snowman and the Snowdog is a 2012 British animated short film. It is the sequel to The Snowman, and was created to mark the 30th anniversary of the original short film. The Snowman and The Snowdog is dedicated to John Coates (the film's producer, who died in September 2012) and features a new song called "Light the Night" by former Razorlight drummer Andy Burrows. The Snowman and the Snowdog won the Televisual Bulldog Award 2013 in the Best Children's category.

Since the story of The Snowman turns 40 in 2018, the Royal Mint has commemorated it over the past few years due to its unwavering popularity. This festive UK 50p coin celebrates ten years since the release of The Snowman and The Snowdog.

The coins were produced before the Queen's death in September, but the Royal Mint said it was not replacing it with the portrait of King Charles III to minimise waste or unnecessary environmental impact.