50p Coins

Background Information

In October 1969 50p coins joined the 5p (shilling) and 10p (florin) coins in circulation, leaving only the three copper coins - to be introduced on 15 February 1971 - to complete the new series of decimal coins. The design on the reverse of the 50p coin features a symbol of Britannia that has appeared on our coinage since 1672. While this design may have been traditional, the shape of the new 50p coin, an equilateral curve heptagon, was revolutionary. This made it easily distinguishable from round coins both by feel and by sight, while its constant breadth allowed it to roll in vending machines.

With the introduction of smaller 5p and 10p coins in 1990 and 1992 respectively, 50p coins became the largest in circulation. In October 1994 the Government announced a further review of the United Kingdom coinage. The results revealed a requirement for a smaller 50p coin, which was duly introduced on 1 September 1997.

First Issued	Smaller version introduced September 1997 (Larger version introduced October 1969, demonetised in 1998)
Specifications (Since 1997)
Diameter	27.3mm
Weight	8.0g
Thickness	1.78mm
Composition	Cupro-nickel (75% copper, 25% nickel)
Obverse Designers	Portrait of Her Majesty the Queen 1985-1997 - Raphael Maklouf 1998-2015 - Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS 2015 to date - Jody Clark
Reverse Designers	See table below
Edge	Plain

50p Coin Design

Since its issue, 50p coins have commonly been used to commemorate important events. From as early as 1969, The Royal Mint have regularly issued unique reverse designs on the 50p for events such as the 50^th anniversary of the D-Day landings, 50^th anniversary of the NHS and the 2012 London Olympic Games. A full list of Royal Mint commemorative fifty-pence coins can be found below. Read more about the rarest 50p coins in circulation here.

Coin Image	Year of Issue	Design Information
	1969-1982	Britannia A figure of Britannia, seated beside a lion, with a shield resting against her right side, holding a trident in her right hand and an olive branch in her left hand, with the figure "50" below and the inscription "NEW PENCE" above Designed by Christopher Ironside
	1982-2008	Britannia - revised inscription A figure of Britannia, seated beside a lion, with a shield resting against her rightside,holding a trident in her right hand and an olive branch in her left hand, with the figure "50" below and the inscription "FIFTY PENCE" above Designed by Christopher Ironside
	2008 - To date	A section of the Royal Arms showing elements of the third and fourth quarterings Designed by Matthew Dent
	1973	United Kingdom's accession to the European Economic Community The inscription "50 PENCE" and the date of the year, surrounded by nine hands, symbolising the nine members of the Community, clasping one another in a mutual gesture of trust, assistance and friendship Designed by David Wynne
	1992-93	United Kingdom's Presidency of the Council of Ministers and the completion of the Single European Market A representation of a table on which are placed twelve stars, linked by a network of lines to each other and also to twelve chairs around the table, on one of which appear the letters "UK", andwith the dates "1992" and "1993" above and the value "50 PENCE" below Designed by Mary Milner Dickens
	1994	50th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings A design representing the Allied invasion force heading for Normandy andfilling the sea and sky, together with the value "50 PENCE" Designed by John Mills
	1998	United Kingdom's Presidency of the European Union, and the 25th Anniversary of the United Kingdom's accession to the European Economic Community A celebratoryarrangement of stars with the letters "EU" between theAnniversary dates "1973" and "1998", and the value 50 PENCE below Designed by John Mills
	1998	50th Anniversary of the National Health Service A pair of hands set against a pattern of radiating lines with the words "FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY" and the value "50 PENCE",accompanied by the initials "NHS" which appear five times on the outer border Designed by David Cornell
	2000	150th Anniversary of the Public Libraries Act The turning pages of a book, the Anniversary dates "1850" and "2000", and the value "50 PENCE", all above a classical library building on which appear the words "PUBLIC LIBRARIES" and,withinthe pediment, representations of compact discs Designed by Mary Milner Dickens
	2003	100th Anniversary of the formation of the Women's Social and Political Union The figure of a suffragette chained to railings andholding a banner on which appear the lettersWSPU, to the right a ballot paper marked with a cross and the words GIVE WOMEN THE VOTE, to the left the value 50 PENCE, and below and to thefar right the Anniversary dates 1903 and 2003 Designed by Mary Milner Dickens
	2004	50th Anniversary of the first four-minute mile by Roger Bannister The legs of a running athlete with a stylised stopwatch in the background and the value 50 PENCE below Designed by James Butler
	2005	250th Anniversary of Samuel Johnson's Dictionary of the English Language Entries from the Dictionary for the words FIFTY and PENCE, with the figure50 above, and the inscription JOHNSON'S DICTIONARY 1755 below Designed by Tom Phillips
	2006	150th Anniversary of the institution of the Victoria Cross Depiction of the obverse and reverse of a Victoria Cross with the date 29 JAN 1856 in the centre of the reverse of the Cross, the letters VC to the right and the value FIFTY PENCE below Designed by Claire Aldridge
	2006	150th Anniversary of the institution of the Victoria Cross Depiction of a soldier carrying a wounded comrade with an outline of the Victoria Cross surrounded by a sunburst effect in the background Designed by Clive Duncan
	2007	Centenary of the Foundation of the Scouting Movement A fleur-de-lis superimposed over a globe and surrounded by the inscription "BE PREPARED", the dates "1907" and "2007", and the denomination "FIFTY PENCE". Designed by Kerry Jones
	2009	250th anniversary of the foundation of the Royal Botanic Gardens A design showing the pagoda encircled by a vine and accompanied by the dates “1759” and “2009”, with the word “KEW” at the base of the pagoda Designed by Christopher Le Brun
	2010	Celebrating 100 Years of Girlguiding UK Designed by Jonathan Evans and Donna Hainan
	2011	Celebrating 50 years of the work of WWF Designed by Matthew Dent
	2013	Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the birth of Christopher Ironside Designed by Christopher Ironside
	2013	The 100th Anniversary of the Birth of Benjamin Britten Designed by Tom Phillips CBE RA
	2014	The Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games Designed by Alex Loudon with Dan Flashman
	2015	75th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain Designed by Gary Breeze
	2016	Team GB Designed by Tim Sharp
	2016	Battle of Hastings Designed by John Bergdahl
	2016	Beatrix Potter Anniversary Designed by Emma Noble
	2016	Beatrix Potter Peter Rabbit Designed by Emma Noble
	2016	Beatrix Potter Jemima Puddle-Duck Designed by Emma Noble
	2016	Beatrix Potter Tiggy-Winkle Designed by Emma Noble
	2016	Beatrix Potter Squirrel Nutkin Designed by Emma Noble
	2017	Beatrix Potter Peter Rabbit Designed by Emma Noble
	2017	Beatrix Potter Tom Kitten Designed by Emma Noble
	2017	Beatrix Potter Jeremy Fisher Designed by Emma Noble
	2017	Beatrix Potter Benjamin Bunny Designed by Emma Noble
	2017	Sir Isaac Newton Celebrating one of the most famous figures ever to hold the role of Master of the Mint, author of the single most influential book on physics ever written Designed by Aaron West
	2018	Representation of the People Act Designed by Stephen Taylor
	2018	Peter Rabbit Designed by Emma Noble
	2018	Flopsy Bunny Designed by Emma Noble
	2018	Mrs Tittlemouse Designed by Emma Noble
	2018	The Tailor Of Gloucester Designed by Emma Noble
	2018	Paddington at the Station Designed by David Knapton
	2018	Paddington at the Palace Designed by David Knapton
	2018	The Snowman Designed by Natasha Ratcliffe
	2019	The Gruffalo Designed by Magic Light Pictures
	2019	Stephen Hawking Designed by Edwina Ellis
	2019	Peter Rabbit Designed by Emma Noble
	2019	Sherlock Holmes Designed by Stephen Raw
	2019	Paddington at the Tower of London Designed by David Knapton
	2019	Paddington at St Pauls Cathedral Designed by David Knapton
	2019	Fifty Years of the Fifty Pence Designed by Christopher Ironside
	2019	Gruffalo and the Mouse Designed by Magic Light Pictures
	2019	Wallace & Gromit Designed by Nick Park
	2019	Snowman Designed by Snowman Enterprises
	2020	Team GB Designed by David Knapton
	2020	Withdrawal from the European Union
	2020	Peter Rabbit Designed by Emma Noble
	2020	Megalosaurus Designed by Robert Nicholls
	2020	Iguanodon Designed by Robert Nicholls
	2020	Hylaeosaurus Designed by Robert Nicholls
	2020	Rosalind Franklin Designed by David Knapton
	2020	Winnie the Pooh Designed by Disney
	2020	Christopher Robin Designed by Disney
	2020	Piglet Designed by Disney
	2020	Diversity built Britain Designed by Dominique Evans
	2020	The Snowman 2020 Designed by Robin Shaw
	2021	John Logie Baird Designed by Osborne Ross
	2021	Decimal Day Designed by Dominique Evans
	2021	Temnodontosaurus Designed by Robert Nicholls
	2021	Plesiosaurus Designed by Robert Nicholls
	2021	Dimorphodon Designed by Robert Nicholls
	2021	Team GB Designed by Dave Knapton
	2021	Winnie the Pooh & friends Designed by The Walt Disney Company
	2021	Charles Babbage Designed by Nigel Tudman and Jas Bhamra
	2021	Owl Designed by The Walt Disney Company
	2021	100 Years of Insulin Designed by Iris De La Torre
	2021	The Snowman Designed by Robin Shaw
	2021	Tigger Designed by The Walt Disney Company

London 2012 50p Coins

Coin Image	Year of Issue	Designer Information
	2011	Aquatics A swimmer submerged in water, with the London 2012 logo above and the denomination, "50 PENCE", below. Jonathan Olliffe
	2011	Archery A bow being drawn, with the London 2012 Paralympic logo above and the denomination, "50 PENCE", below. Piotr Powaga
	2009	Athletics An athlete clearing a high jump bar, with the London 2012 logo above and the denomination, "50 PENCE", below. Florence Jackson
	2011	Badminton A shuttlecock and a diagram of badminton actions, with the London 2012 logo above and the denomination, "50 PENCE", below. Emma Kelly
	2011	Basketball Basketball players against the textured background of a large basketball, with the London 2012 logo above and the denomination, "50 PENCE", below. Sarah Payne
	2011	Boccia A boccia player in a wheelchair throwing a ball, with the London 2012 Paralympic logo above and the denomination, "50 PENCE", below. Justin Chung
	2011	Boxing A pair of boxing gloves against the background of a boxing ring, with1 the London 2012 logo above and the denomination, "50 PENCE", below. Shane Abery
	2011	Canoeing A figure in a canoe on a slalom course, with the London 2012 logo above and the denomination, "50 PENCE", below. Timothy Lees
	2011	Cycling A cyclist in a velodrome, with the London 2012 logo above and the denomination, "50 PENCE", below. Theo Crutchley-Mack
	2011	Equestrian A horse and rider jumping over a fence, with the London 2012 logo above and the denomination, "50 PENCE", below. Thomas Babbage
	2011	Fencing Two figures fencing, with the London 2012 logo above and the denomination, "50 PENCE", below. Ruth Summerfield
	2011	Football A diagrammatic explanation of the offside rule in football, with the London 2012 logo above and the denomination, "50 PENCE", below. Neil Wolfson
	2011	Goalball A goalball player throwing a ball, with the London 2012 Paralympic logo above and the denomination, "50 PENCE", below. Jonathan Wren
	2011	Gymnastics A gymnast with a ribbon, with the London 2012 logo above and the denomination, "50 PENCE", below. Jonathan Olliffe
	2011	Handball A handball player throwing a ball against the background of a handball court, with the London 2012 logo above and the denomination, "50 PENCE", below. Natasha Ratcliffe
	2011	Hockey Two hockey players challenging for the ball, with the London 2012 logo above and the denomination, "50 PENCE", below. Robert Evans
	2011	Judo A judo throw, with the London 2012 logo above and the denomination, "50 PENCE", below. David Cornell
	2011	Modern Pentathlon A montage of the five sports which form the modern pentathlon, with the London 2012 logo above and the denomination, "50 PENCE", below. Daniel Brittain
	2011	Rowing A rowing boat accompanied by a number of words associated with the Olympic movement, with the London 2012 logo above and the denomination, "50 PENCE", below. Davey Podmore
	2011	Sailing Three sailing boats accompanied by a map of the coast of Weymouth, with the London 2012 logo above and the denomination, "50 PENCE", below. Bruce Rushin
	2011	Shooting A figure shooting, with the London 2012 logo above and the denomination, "50 PENCE", below. Pravin Dewdhory
	2011	Table Tennis Two table tennis bats against the background of a table and net, with the London 2012 Paralympic logo above and the denomination, "50 PENCE", below. Alan Linsdell
	2011	Taekwondo Two athletes engaged in Taekwondo, with the London 2012 logo above and the denomination, "50 PENCE", below. David Gibbons
	2011	Tennis A tennis net and a tennis ball, with the London 2012 logo above and the denomination, "50 PENCE", below. Tracy Baines
	2011	Triathlon A montage of the three sports which form the triathlon, with the London 2012 logo above and the denomination, "50 PENCE", below. Sarah Harvey
	2011	Volleyball Three figures playing beach volleyball, with the London 2012 logo above and the denomination, "50 PENCE", below. Daniela Boothman
	2011	Weightlifting The outline of a weightlifter starting a lift, with the London 2012 logo above and the denomination, "50 PENCE", below. Rob Shakespeare
	2011	Wheelchair Rugby A wheelchair rugby player in action, with the London 2012 Paralympic logo above and the denomination, "50 PENCE", below. Natasha Ratcliffe
	2011	Wrestling Two figures wrestling in a stadium, with the London 2012 logo above and the denomination, "50 PENCE", below. Roderick Enriquez