The 50p is possibly one of the most collected British Coins. The coin entered in circulation 1969, on October 14 to be precise, replacing the ten-shilling note and ahead of the currency decimalisation, which would occur in 1971.
The 50p coin is the world’s first seven-sided coin made in an equilateral heptagon-like shape (It’s not actually a heptagon because the sides are curved arcs instead of straight lines). The Royal Mint deliberately chose this unique format for the Fifty Pence coin to differentiate the coin from the rest of the UK coinage. Its distinctive design is perhaps one of the reasons why the 50p coin is so popular with coin collectors.
In 2005 the Royal Mint issued a commemorative 50 Pence to honour the 250th anniversary of Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary of the English Language. Without this momentous work, we wouldn’t know what a lot of words mean today. You have a series of words on one side with the inscription ‘Johnson’s Dictionary 1755’. The other side has a portrait of H.M. the Queen and this coin is struck in Proof Sterling Silver. This is also a coin that is missing from many collections, especially in Silver. Supplies are limited and we believe that our price for this older and very important commemorative coin is less than the Royal Mint will be charging for this year’s commemorative.
In 2008, the Royal Mint introduced new reverse designs on our coinage. One of the design coins being replaced was that of the seated Britannia which had been a feature on the Fifty Pence coin since its introduction in 1969. To mark the final use of this design on the Fifty Pence coin, the Royal Mint struck some in silver proof and it is these special coins that we offer you here, but we have a limited number available.
In 1994, the Royal Mint commemorated the 50th anniversary of D-Day with this new 50 pence coin, just as we are celebrating the 80th anniversary today. We have these coins in all of the strikes made at the time and some are now quite difficult to get and are in short supply.
The 50 Pence coin was first struck in 1969, two years before decimalization. In 2019 the Royal Mint, without a lot of fanfare, issued a special silver proof 50 Pence to honour the 50th anniversary of the Fifty Pence piece. They issued just 1,979 of these 2019 Sterling Silver 50 Pence Piece. Each coin comes in the Royal Mint packaging with certicate and information brochure. These are the first that we have ever seen or offered for sale. We said there wasn’t a lot of fanfare and that was an understatement. Add one to your collection while you can, very limited number of these Special 2019 Sterling Silver Proof 50 pence’s are available.
2004 Silver Proof 50p commemorative of the 50th anniversary of the achievement of Sir Roger Gilbert Bannister, an English middle-distance athlete, and neurologist, who ran a mile under 4 minutes, a feat once thought to be impossible.
In 1994 the Royal Mint issued a commemorative 50 Pence for the 50th Anniversary of D-Day, one of the most important days in World War II. It was the older large sized 50 Pence and today it is very difficult to find, especially in Uncirculated condition. One of the marketing companies is selling this coin for £11.00, which we think is far too much. True it is difficult to find, but still £11.00 is a lot of money. We have some in stock and are offering it for £6.95, which we believe is a much more realistic and fairer price. You be the judge, do you want this coin from a marketing company at £11.00 or from a coin dealer for £6.95?
The Royal Mint issued a Special commemorative 50 Pence in 1994 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of D-Day. This was, of course, the day that we invaded Europe and the start of the long battle to defeat the Germans which set Europe Free. The 50 Pence at that time was a much larger coin and it showed the design off to its fullest. You have a squadron of planes and gliders attacking with ships below getting ready to off load the soldiers. The Mint also made a Special Collectors edition. Struck in Proof Sterling Silver they are now no longer made, the 50p has been replaced by a much smaller coin. Supplies are limited and each coin comes in a protective capsule as issued by the Mint.
In 2005 the Royal Mint issued a commemorative 50 Pence to honour the 250th anniversary of Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary of the English Language. Without this momentous work, we wouldn’t know what a lot of words mean today. You have a series of words on one side with the inscription ‘Johnson’s Dictionary 1755’. The other side has a portrait of H.M. the Queen and this coin is struck in Proof Sterling Silver. This is also a coin that is missing from many collections, especially in Silver. We believe our price for this older and very important commemorative coin, is less than what the Royal Mint will be charging for this year’s commemorative. Supplies are limited...
There has been all this noise about the Brexit coin released recently by the Royal Mint. We are now going to offer you the first Real Brexit Coin. Namely the old large sized 50 Pence that was issued in 1973, some 47 years ago when we joined the European Union. You cannot leave unless you are already a member! This coin is the old large style 50 Pence and it depicted 9 hands of the European Community holding each other in a circle. Far fewer members, far easier to get things done. This original First Real Brexit Coin was struck in cupro-nickel in both Uncirculated and Proof condition. They are a lot more difficult to find than the new Brexit coin and are of course 47 years old and to be honest perhaps cheaper.
Let’s be honest, forget all the bull that is being given out, this was the first Brexit coin. It is an old large-sized 50 Pence which was issued in 1973. It was the first-ever commemorative 50 Pence pieces, the series they are issuing today are based on this coin. It was issued to honour our joining the European Economic Community or EU for short. In 1973 we joined it, in 2021 we are finally rid of it. They were only issued in cupro-nickel but in both Uncirculated and Proof condition. Without this coin, we could never have a coin for leaving the EU, if you aren’t a member you cannot resign. Much underappreciated even though it was our first-ever commemorative 50p, which is now 47 years old. We can offer it in Brilliant Uncirculated, Proof and Proof with the Royal Mint case. The choice is yours.
In 1973 they issued a commemorative 50 Pence to honour our membership in the European Union or EU. In 1998 they issued a second EU 50 Pence to honour our 25th Anniversary of membership of the European Union. In 1973 they issued the coins in cupronickel and cupronickel Proof, in 1998 they issued them in cupronickel, Sterling Silver Proof and Sterling Silver Proof Piedfort. Offered here is the Sterling Silver Proof Coin. The design is a group of star-shaped flowers with stars in the middle to represent the EU membership, today they would have to picture a jungle of flowers.
Issued by the Royal Mint in 2000, this commemorative 50 Pence piece honoured the 150th anniversary of Public Libraries. It was never given the publicity it deserved and many collectors do not have one in their collections. Each coin is complete in its own case, with a certificate just as it was issued by the Royal Mint. Illustrated here is the Piedfort Sterling Silver Proof of the Library 50p.
Issued by the Royal Mint in 2000, this commemorative 50 Pence piece honoured the 150th anniversary of Public Libraries. It was never given the publicity it deserved and many collectors do not have one in their collections. Each coin is complete in its own case, with a certificate just as it was issued by the Royal Mint. Illustrated here is the Sterling Silver Proof of the Library 50p.
In 2000 the world entered a new millennium, something that only comes around once every 1,000 years. So it probably won’t happen during our lifetimes again. We have beautiful Sterling Silver Proof examples of the 50 Pence, the most popular denomination of the moment. Usually, this coin only comes in cupro-nickel, but these were especially struck in Proof Sterling Silver for special collectors. The most popular denomination but struck in gleaming Sterling Silver Proof. Worth adding one to your collection!
We have all appreciated everything that the National Health Service did for us during the pandemic. But what most collectors don’t know is that in 1998 the Royal Mint struck a special commemorative 50 Pence to honour the 50th anniversary of the National Health Service 1948-1998. We have a small quantity of this coin in the VIP Sterling Silver Proof. It is great coin to honour a great institution. Supplies are limited and these silver proofs are now 23 years old.
In 1998 the Royal Mint issued a special 50 Pence honouring the National Health Service (NHS). They made some special coins for very special collectors. They were struck in Proof Sterling Silver and were twice the normal thickness or Piedforts. We have just bought 10 of these important type coins. With what some of the prices that are being asked for ‘common’ current coins, we think this is good value.
We were lucky enough to have another dealer offer us a couple of original bags of the 2022 Queen Elizabeth II 50 Pence coins. These were issued just before the Queen died and are one of her last coins to be issued. On one side you have the bust of Queen Elizabeth II and on the reverse a large 70 with the crowned cypher in the middle and the dates 1952-2022. These coins are in Brilliant Uncirculated condition and have never been used. We opened the sealed Royal Mint bags ourselves, these coins are about as nice as you can get for coins actually struck to be used. The fifty pence denomination is the most popular or any denomination the Mint issues and this is one of the last Queen Elizabeth II coins to be struck
1998 Rank-Broadley 50p Brilliant Uncirculated. In 1997 the Royal Mint reduced the size of the 50 Pence piece. In 1998 they introduced a new bust of the Queen for our coinage, it was done by Ian Rank-Broadley. This coin is difficult to get and many collectors are missing it from their collections. We have managed to find a small group in Brilliant Uncirculated condition and now offer them to you. Each coin has the new portrait of the Queen on one side and a seated Britannia on the other. It is the first coin of the new series with the Rank- Broadley bust of the Queen. All of the coins are in Brilliant Uncirculated condition and quite difficult to get.
In 2003 the Royal Mint honoured the 100th anniversary of the Suffragette Movement 1903-2003 with a special commemorative Fifty Pence Piece. The Fifty Pence is our most popular and most collected denomination. You have a Suffragette chained to a fence with a poster that reads ‘Give Women the Vote’. Despite a very popular denomination, the mintages are very low for this issue. They only made 6,267 in Sterling Silver Proof and 6,795 in Piedfort Sterling Silver. Each coin comes in a protective capsule that allows you to see both sides without having to handle the coins. One issue of the 50p coins that is overlooked by collectors and cataloguers.
In 1992-1993 the United Kingdom actually held the presidency of the European Economic Community. Today the EEC no longer exists, it was replaced by the EU and the UK is no longer a member. But there was a time it was, and during that time (the time of the EEC) The Royal Mint issued a commemorative 50 Pence in 1992 to honour the UK's Presidency, it was the older larger-sized coin. On the obverse, you have The Queen and on the reverse a table with 12 stars one of each member at the time. Here we offer the Silver Proof Coins. All coins are gleaming Proof condition and come in a protective capsule. No matter how you voted on the referendum we were still Presidents...
In 1992-1993 Great Britain actually held the presidency of the European Union. But in 1992 the Royal Mint issued a commemorative 50 Pence to honour our Presidency, it was the older larger sized coin. On the obverse, you have The Queen and on the reverse a table with 12 stars one for each member at the time. Here we offer the Sterling Silver Piedfort (double thickness coins). All coins are gleaming Proof condition and come in a protective capsule. No matter how you voted on the referendum we were still Presidents...
There has been all this noise about the Brexit coin. We have available to offer the first Real Brexit Coin. Namely the old large sized 50 Pence that was issued in 1973, some 47 years ago when we joined the European Union. You cannot leave unless you are already a member! This coin is the old large style 50 Pence and it depicted 9 hands of the European Community holding each other in a circle. Far fewer members, far easier to get things done. This original First Real Brexit Coin was struck in cupro-nickel in both Uncirculated and Proof condition. Some of the Proofs came in Royal Mint cases. We can offer them both to you, they are a lot more difficult to find than the new Brexit coin and are of course 47 years old and to be honest perhaps cheaper.
Any coin with a low mintage number can be considered rare. Bearing this in mind, below is a list* of the top 5 rarest fifty pence coins:
The Kew Gardens (only 210,000 issued for circulation)
The Football Olympic (mintage 1,125,000)
The Triathlon Olympic (mintage 1,163,500)
The Wrestling Olympic (mintage 1,129,500)
The Judo Olympic (mintage 1,161,500)
A few of the coins featured on our website also have lower mintage, such as the Suffragettes 2003 50p Proof in silver (not currently available) (mintage 6,267), the NHS 50p Proof piedfort in silver (mintage 5,117), and the 1973 UK entry to the EEC 50p(not currently available) in Proof Cupronickel.
Depending on the condition of the coin, any of the coins listed above can be worth more than their face value. But instead of telling you which coins are worth money, we would rather tell you which ones we don’t usually buy... for starters the cupronickel coins issued for circulation even if they are considered rare. The Peter Rabbit issues, for example, the only ones worth money are the ones struck with colouring in silver proof. But there are others: the Benjamin Britten, The Paddington Bear, and any of the Beatrix Potter commemorative issues. In our opinion, they have been over-hyped by the press. And, whilst a lot of them are for sale online for very high prices, there’s little evidence to suggest that they are actually selling...