Royal Mint: UK mint launches new £5 puzzle coin that could win you £30,000 gold bar - how to play
Brits are being challenged to crack cryptic clues, hidden symbols and layered puzzles in a nationwide brain-teaser 🧠
- The Royal Mint has launched a new £5 ‘code breaker’ coin tied to a nationwide treasure hunt
- Puzzle fans can solve riddles and cryptographic clues for a chance to win a solid gold bar
- The challenge is inspired by Sir Isaac Newton and blends coin collecting with problem-solving
- Anyone can try the first level for free, but later stages require buying the special coin
- One UK-based winner will be randomly selected to receive a 250g gold bar worth around £30,000
The Royal Mint is inviting puzzle fans, codebreakers and armchair treasure hunters across the UK to put their brains to the test, with the promise of a serious prize at the end.
A newly released £5 coin forms the centrepiece of a nationwide cryptographic challenge that could ultimately win one lucky participant a solid gold bar worth close to £30,000.
Dubbed The Great British Treasure Hunt, the initiative turns a commemorative coin into an interactive game packed with riddles, symbols and hidden clues.
Rather than simply admiring it in a display case, collectors are being encouraged to actively use the coin, and even its packaging, to unlock layers of puzzles inspired by one of Britain’s greatest minds.
The coin’s design takes its cues from Sir Isaac Newton, the famed scientist and mathematician who also served as Master of the Royal Mint in the late 17th century.
The Mint says the coin is filled with numbers, letters and symbols that act as cryptographic keys, forming what it calls a “code breaker” challenge aimed at modern-day problem solvers.
How does the competition work?
Anyone can dip their toe into the treasure hunt for free. The first level is available via a dedicated microsite on the Royal Mint’s website and does not require a purchase.
This opening stage allows players to get a feel for the challenge, with hints and clues released in waves from Thursday, January 29.
Things become more serious, and more competitive, from level two onwards. To progress beyond the opening stage, players will need to buy the specially minted “penny drops” £5 coin, either in brilliant uncirculated or silver proof form.
The physical coin and its packaging are essential tools for solving the remaining puzzles, which run from levels two to five.
The competition element officially opens on Tuesday, February 3 and closes at 11.59pm on Monday, March 30. To be eligible for the grand prize, entrants must successfully complete all four competitive levels within that timeframe.
Only UK-based players aged 18 or over can enter the competition, and participation is limited to one entry per customer account, though anyone can still play along for fun without entering.
What can you win?
At the end of the hunt, those who crack every code will be entered into a random draw, with one winner selected on or shortly after Tuesday, March 31. The prize is a 250g solid gold bar.
Global uncertainty, a weaker US dollar and geopolitical tensions have been driving up the price of gold, which this week surged above $5,000 an ounce for the first time, hitting a historic high.
The gold bar’s value is currently estimated at around £28,000 to £29,000, although the final figure will depend on market conditions at the time.
Broadcaster and mathematician Bobby Seagull has been named “player one” after receiving the first-ever minted edition of the coin. He described it as “a cryptographic masterpiece” and said it offers far more than traditional coin collecting.
“This isn’t just a coin; it’s an invitation to a nationwide intellectual adventure,” he said.
Nicola Mitchell, the Royal Mint’s chief commercial officer, said the project marks a shift in how modern collectibles are designed and enjoyed.
She described the coin as “an interactive device with more than meets the eye”, created for people who love mystery, challenge and the thrill of the chase.
How much does the coin cost?
The brilliant uncirculated coin costs £22.50, with silver proof versions priced at £149.50. Gold versions are also available for collectors, priced at £5,195.
The coin will not enter general circulation, meaning you won’t find one in your change.