Hello Kitty

Hello Kitty is a globally recognised character created by the Japanese company Sanrio in 1974 designed by illustrator Yuko Shimizu and first appearing on a small vinyl coin purse. Despite often being mistaken for a cat, Sanrio explained that Hello Kitty is actually a young girl named Kitty White who lives in London with her family – a choice made to reflect the international appeal of British culture, which was popular in Japan at the time. Over the decades, Hello Kitty has become a powerful symbol of kawaii (cute) culture and one of the most successful fictional characters in the world.

Pompompurin and Keroppi design

The coin’s coloured reverse features Hello Kitty dancing wearing a fuchsia playsuit with a white polka dot pattern and a red bow on her head. She is joined by her joyful friend Pompompurin, a pudding-loving golden retriever dog wearing his signature brown beret, and Keroppi, the cheerful green frog with large expressive white eyes, pink cheeks and a red and white striped outfit. The design is set against a solid rectangle surrounded by a pattern of dots, with the words ‘HELLO KITTY AND FRIENDS’ presented in alternating red and blue letters, and the inscription '©2026 SANRIO' also included in the design.