Mary Poppins Delights

To celebrate author P.L. Travers’s beloved character Mary Poppins, the Royal Mint has released a set of commemorative coins depicting the fantastical nanny. The reverse of the 50 pence is based on Mary Shepherd’s original illustration from the classic Mary Poppins books. In the design, Mary Poppins flies over a neighborhood with her umbrella while holding her magic carpet bag. Her name appears below the scene. The commemoratives mark the first time Mary Poppins has appeared on a UK 50-pence coin and are available in brilliant-uncirculated, brilliant-uncirculated color, silver proof color, and gold versions.

Mary Poppins

Written by Australian-British author P.L. Travers and illustrated by Mary Shepherd, the Mary Poppins series contains eight children’s books published from 1934 to 1988. After flying in on the east wind, Mary Poppins becomes the nanny for Mr. and Mrs. Banks’s children Jane, Michael, John, and Barbara. In each book, Mary Poppins takes the children on a magical journey. 

Walt Disney adapted the books into a musical film starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke in 1964. In 2018 Disney released a sequel with Emily Blunt playing Mary Poppins.