Zebra Crossing 10p (Letter Z)
The Zebra Crossing 10p (Letter Z) is a circulating A to Z 10p with 283,000 made. Value band: small premium. Here is how to recognize it, what makes one worth more and what to check on yours.
- Year
- 2018
- Circulation mintage
- 283,000
- Value band
- Small premium
- Composition
- Nickel-plated steel
Original illustration of the coin's shape and metal. Tap to flip. Not a picture of the actual design.
Face value · Small premium · Collector premium · Significant rarity. We use bands because prices change daily.
What is a Zebra Crossing 10p (Letter Z) worth?
The A to Z 10p coins were made in small runs for circulation (220,000 dated 2018 and 63,000 dated 2019 for this letter). They were made to be collected. A circulated Zebra Crossing 10p brings a small premium to collectors filling a set, more for the scarcer 2019 date and more again in uncirculated condition.
What would make yours worth more:
- The scarcer 2019 date
- Uncirculated condition
- An original collector card or pack
For market prices, look at recent sold results for the same coin in the same condition, not asking prices.
Quick answers
- Is the Zebra Crossing 10p (Letter Z) rare?
- It is scarcer than most A to Z 10p coins. Collectors pay a small premium for good examples.
- How many Zebra Crossing 10p (Letter Z) coins were made?
- 283,000 were struck for circulation.
- What is the Zebra Crossing 10p (Letter Z) made of?
- Nickel-plated steel. It weighs 6.5 g and measures 24.5 mm.
- Is the Zebra Crossing 10p (Letter Z) still legal tender?
- Yes. Every A to Z 10p is legal tender in the UK at face value.
Why the Zebra Crossing 10p (Letter Z) was made
Zebra crossings, with their black and white stripes, were introduced on British roads in 1951. They built on earlier pedestrian crossings marked with studs and Belisha beacons, the amber globes on striped poles named after Leslie Hore-Belisha, the Minister of Transport who introduced them in 1934. The bold stripes made crossings much easier for drivers to see. They quickly spread across the country and became one of the most familiar sights on any British street.
The most famous zebra crossing in the world is probably the one on Abbey Road in London, which appeared on the cover of the Beatles' album of the same name in 1969. Fans from around the world still visit to recreate the photograph, often to the frustration of passing drivers. Zebra crossings remain part of every British high street. The rule that drivers must give way to pedestrians on them is drilled into every learner driver. The Royal Mint chose the zebra crossing for Z in its 2018 A to Z 10p series, closing the alphabet with an everyday object that is instantly recognizable.
How to recognize it
The Z coin shows a zebra crossing alongside the letter Z, the stripes of the crossing making the design easy to identify. It shares the standard 10p specification: nickel-plated steel, 24.5 mm diameter, 6.5 g, with a milled edge. The obverse shows Jody Clark's portrait of Queen Elizabeth II and the date. Zebra Crossing coins were issued in both 2018 and 2019 with the same reverse. The 2019 coin had one of the lowest mintages in the series, so it pays to check every Z you find. The stripes should look sharp and evenly spaced on a coin that has seen little use.
The other side carries Jody Clark's portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, introduced in 2015 and the last of her reign.
Zebra Crossing 10p (Letter Z) by the numbers
In mintage terms the Zebra Crossing 10p (Letter Z) ranks 3rd lowest of 26 circulating A to Z 10p coins with a published mintage. The next scarcer is the Yeoman Warder 10p (Letter Y) (283,000); the next more common is the Robin 10p (Letter R) (284,000).
It was the only circulating commemorative A to Z 10p dated 2018.
Of the 283,000 Zebra Crossing 10p coins, 220,000 are dated 2018 and 63,000 are dated 2019. About 3.5 coins were dated 2018 for every one dated 2019, which makes 2019 the date to look for. This letter is also one of the five whose 2019 run was cut below 84,000.
What to check on your Zebra Crossing 10p (Letter Z)
- Confirm the letter and picture: Z for Zebra Crossing, with the date 2018 or 2019.
- Check the date. The 2019 coins had much smaller runs, so the same letter is scarcer with a 2019 date.
- Look at the surfaces under a light: coins from collector packs have unbroken luster, while change-worn coins show scuffs on the letter and design.
- Keep sets in order in a holder rather than loose; scratches on the large flat letter are easy to see.
The Zebra Crossing 10p had 220,000 made dated 2018 and just 63,000 dated 2019, tied with W and Y for the lowest 2019 mintage in the series. As the last letter in the alphabet, Z is often the final coin people need to complete their set, which adds to demand. A 2019 Z is a great find in change. A crisp example can attract a collector premium, while a worn 2018 coin is a fine place to start your set.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Country | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Denomination | 10 pence |
| Issuer | Royal Mint |
| Year | 2018 |
| Circulation mintage | 283,000 |
| Composition | Nickel-plated steel |
| Weight | 6.5 g |
| Diameter | 24.5 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Milled |
| Portrait | Clark |
Other 2018 A to Z 10p coins
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2019 Zebra Crossing 10p rare?
It is one of the scarcest coins in the series, with only 63,000 made dated 2019. Only W and Y share that low mintage. The 2018 version, with 220,000 made, is much more common and turns up in change far more often.
When were zebra crossings introduced?
Zebra crossings with black and white stripes were introduced on British roads in 1951. They built on earlier crossings marked by Belisha beacons, which arrived in 1934 and are still part of every zebra crossing today.
Mintage figures: Ten pence (British coin) (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from Royal Mint figures. How we build these pages.