Obverse. Photo © Royal Mint
  • 50 Pence 2023, United Kingdom (Great Britain), Charles III, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
  • 50 Pence 2023, United Kingdom (Great Britain), Charles III, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
  • 50 Pence 2023, United Kingdom (Great Britain), Charles III, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Fold-out packaging
Description

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a portal fantasy novel for children by C. S. Lewis, published by Geoffrey Bles in 1950. It is the first published and best known of seven novels in The Chronicles of Narnia (1950–1956). Among all the author's books, it is also the most widely held in libraries. It was the first of The Chronicles of Narnia to be written and published, but is marked as volume two in recent editions that are sequenced according the stories' internal chronology. Like the other Chronicles, it was illustrated by Pauline Baynes, and her work has been retained in many later editions.

Most of the novel is set in Narnia, a land of talking animals and mythical creatures that is ruled by the evil White Witch. In the frame story, four English children are relocated to a large, old country house following a wartime evacuation. The youngest, Lucy, visits Narnia three times via the magic of a wardrobe in a spare room. Her sibling Edmund follows her into Narnia during her second visit, and all of Lucy's three siblings are with her on her third visit to Narnia. In Narnia, the siblings seem fit to fulfill an old prophecy and find themselves adventuring to save Narnia and their own lives. The lion Aslan gives his life to save one of the children; he later rises from the dead, vanquishes the White Witch, and crowns the children Kings and Queens of Narnia.

Obverse

Depicts King Charles III’s effigy, surrounded by the Latin inscription. Engraver's initials on the neck.

CHARLES III DEI GRATIA REX FIDEI DEFENSOR means King Charles III, by the Grace of God King, Defender of the Faith.

Engraver: Martin Jennings (MJ)

•CHARLES III•D•G•REX•F•D•50 PENCE•2023
MJ

Reverse

Depicts an original illustration by Pauline Baynes of Lucy and Mr Tumnus walking together through the snowy woods in Narnia. The inscription is below.

Lucy is the youngest of four siblings. In some respects, she is the primary character of the story. She is the first to discover the land of Narnia, which she enters inadvertently when she steps into a wardrobe while exploring the Professor's house. When Lucy tells her three siblings about Narnia, they do not believe her: Peter and Susan think she is just playing a game, while Edmund persistently ridicules her. In Narnia, she is crowned Queen Lucy the Valiant.

Tumnus, a faun, is the first individual Lucy (who calls him "Mr. Tumnus") meets in Narnia. Tumnus befriends Lucy, despite the White Witch's standing order to turn in any human he finds. He initially plans to obey the order but, after getting to like Lucy, he cannot bear to alert the Witch's forces. He instead escorts her back towards the safety of her own country. His good deed is later given away to the Witch by Edmund. The witch orders Tumnus arrested and turns him to stone, but he is later restored to life by Aslan.

Engraver: Ffion Gwillim

THE LION, THE WITCH
AND THE WARDROBE

Edge
Characteristics
Type Commemorative Issue (Non-circulating)
Material Cupronickel
Weight 8 g
Diameter 27.3 mm
Thickness -
Shape polygon
Sides 7
Alignment Medal
Mint
Royal Mint

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