2019-01-30 Wed

The Royal Mint issued special coin sets to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 50p coins. These limited edition sets contain Royal Mint coins featuring popular 50p designs. Apart from that, visitors would also get a chance to strike their own copper-nickel 50-penny coins.

Royal Mint’s new minting facility was inaugurated in the year 1969. The very first 50-penny coin was issued in October 1969, right after the decimalization of England’s coinage. The coin replaced the 10-shilling note and was known for its unique seven-sided shape. It featured the Britannia design created by Christopher Ironside. This design was used on 50p coins until 1982. The 2019 coins in Brilliant Uncirculated condition features this original design.

People have to pay an entry fee and an additional £6.90 to strike their own coins. A maximum of 4 coins can be bought for £8.90 each. Only a single visit can be made every day, and a total of five coins can be acquired during this visit.

A company named Zappar would be introducing the augmented reality technology using which, people can scan the special visual marker on the packaging of coins which they strike, and view exclusive content.

Two different five-coin sets were available which contained Brilliant Uncirculated copper-nickel and Proof .925 fine silver coins. These coins featured the most famous and rarest 50-penny designs. However, these limited edition sets were sold out immediately.

The coins featured designs which appeared on the following 50-penny coins:

1. 2009 Kew Gardens 50-penny (lowest mintage at 210,000 pieces)

2. 50-penny issued in 2004 to celebrate sub-four-minute mile world record by Roger Bannister

3. 50-penny issued in 2007 to celebrate 100 years of the Scouts

4. 50-penny issued in 2010 to celebrate 100 years of the Girl Guides

5. New Pence 50-penny

A total of 3,500 copper-nickel coin sets and 1,969 Proof silver sets were available for £90 and £225 each, respectively. The 8 grams coin has a diameter of 27.3 millimetres.

Image Courtesy: The Royal Mint