50p Coins
The coins that find their way into your change…
Coins from Crown dependencies and overseas British territories can sometimes make an unexpected appearance in our change.
Sure, this can be an annoyance as technically the coins are not legal tender in the UK, but from a collecting point of view, new and interesting designs are always a bonus!
In our latest coin hunt competition, we went head to head with 10 YouTube Coin Hunters for a 50p coin hunt and it was amazing to see how many of the teams stumbled across coins that shouldn’t be in our change…
Here are some of the unexpected coins we came across:
2012 Bailiwick of Jersey 50p
Yasmin and I were lucky enough to come across this 2012 Bailiwick of Jersey 50p in our coin hunt.
The coin features Jersey’s Grosnez Castle on the reverse surrounded by the lettering ‘Bailiwick of Jersey’. The obverse features the Arnold Machin engraving of Queen Elizabeth II.
Interestingly, 2012 dated Bailiwick of Jersey 50p coins were also struck in 2013 and 2014, giving this particular coin a total mintage of 365,000.
Jersey’s coinage is not legal tender in the rest of the UK, but the lower mintage figures of the island’s coins compared to the UK makes them particularly scarce and collectible, so it was a great surprise to find a Jersey coin amongst our 50ps!
Jersey’s coin mintages are significantly lower because of their smaller population of only 100,000.
2012 Guernsey Freesia Flowers 50p
During his coin hunt, Christopher Collects managed to find a 2012 Freesia Flowers coin from Guernsey.
This beautiful 50p features two crossed freesia flowers on the reverse design, however it is the obverse design which is particularly special.
The obverse features Raphael Maklouf’s portrait of Queen Elizabeth II with the lettering ‘Bailiwick of Guernsey’ above, and also a small Guernsey Coat of Arms to the left.
This addition on the obverse makes the Guernsey 50p stand out when compared to UK 50p coins.
We don’t know the mintage figures for this coin, however it will likely be fairly low when compared to UK figures, due to Guernsey’s smaller population.
2018 Isle of Man Imperial State Crown 50p
Coin Cupboard was very lucky and also found a Bailiwick of Jersey 50p, as well as an Imperial State Crown 50p from the Isle of Man.
The Imperial State Crown 50p was issued in 2018 as part of a five coin set celebrating the Sapphire Coronation Anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
A limited number of each coin entered circulation on the Isle of Man, although we don’t know the exact mintage figure for this coin.
The reverse design shows the Coronation Crown and the obverse features Jody Clark’s most recent portrait of the Queen which, unlike UK coins, includes her shoulders.
1999 East Caribbean States 1 Dollar
Whilst you might expect a few British Isles coins to turn up every now and again, we certainly weren’t expecting to find this coin in our 50p bank bag!
In fact, both team Change Checker and Dom Collects came across one of these unusual coins in our change.
This 1 dollar was issued from 1989 to 2000 in the Eastern Caribbean States, but how did it find its way into our UK change?
As a British Overseas Territory, the East Caribbean States currency features the portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse.
This, along with the coin’s size which is very close to the UK 50p, means it has managed to get mixed up with UK change and passed off as a 50p.
However, there is one very significant difference between this coin and a 50p, and that’s the shape. The East Caribbean States dollar is actually decagonal (10 sided) and features milling along every other edge of the coin.
You can imagine just how surprising it was to come across this coin in the middle of our 50p hunt, and how unusual still that we weren’t the only team to find one!
It just goes to show how many fascinating coins find their way into our change and why it’s always worthing checking to see if you’ve found a coin which was intended for circulation in the UK.
Secure your Guernsey Freesia Flowers 50p coin today!
You can now secure the Guernsey Freesia Flowers 50p for your British Isles collection.
All you need is faith, trust and a little bit of pixie dust… And a Peter Pan 50p!
The wait is finally over and it is with great excitement that we can reveal the brand new Isle of Man Peter Pan 50p coins to you all…
These amazing coins have been developed in partnership with Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity to celebrate 90 years since Peter Pan author, J.M. Barrie, gifted all future rights in Peter Pan to them.
Our friends at the Westminster Collection say, “It has been an honour working with this fantastic charity to create the WORLD’S FIRST Peter Pan 50ps, and for every coin sold a donation will go directly to GOSH Charity to support the hospital’s most urgent needs: fund support services, pioneering research, equipment and refurbishment.”
Peter Pan remains one of the most cherished and loved children’s stories of all time and as such demand for these new 50p coins is expected to be extremely high.
Whether you’re an avid 50p collector, a Peter Pan fan, or just a big kid at heart, I’m sure these coins are bound to sweep you off your feet.
The Official Peter Pan 50p Coin
The brand new Peter Pan 50p features an engraving of David Wyatt’s illustration from the Oxford University Press edition of Peter Pan, alongside a well-known and much loved quote from the book.
This is the first time ever that Peter Pan has featured on a 50p coin and I’m sure that this magical design will go down a treat with collectors, especially following the popularity of previous book character coins.
The COMPLETE Peter Pan 50p Set
Six coins have been created in total, each featuring a different quote and an accompanying specially commissioned design showcasing one of David Wyatt’s stunning illustrations from the Oxford University Press edition of Peter Pan.
Each coin is dedicated to a favourite character from the book, including Peter Pan, Captain Hook, Tick-Tock the Crocodile, Tinkerbell, Wendy and Nana.
Whilst I’m sure you’ll agree each design is truly beautiful, my personal favourite has got to be Tinkerbell! Let me know in the comments below which design you prefer.
But these coins aren’t just available in Brilliant Uncirculated quality; they will in fact be available in a range of other finishes too…
The Silver Proof Peter Pan 50p Coins
Struck in Sterling Silver to an immaculate Proof Finish, these coins feature an impressive full-colour illustration of the stunning designs, really bringing the magic of the story to life.
Silver Proof 50p’s are amongst the most sought-after new issues around and with JUST 10,000 of the individual Peter Pan Silver Proof 50p and JUST 1,995 of the Silver Proof set available worldwide, a sell-out is expected.
The Gold Proof Peter Pan 50p
This is the crème de la crème of the range you could say…
Struck from 22 Carat Gold to a perfect Proof Finish, JUST 500 lucky collectors worldwide will be able to own this prestigious new coin.
New Gold Proof 50p’s have a strong sell-out history and high demand is expected for the Gold Proof Peter Pan 50p.
The British Isles really have had some fantastic releases recently and I must say that these coins from the Isle of Man have got to be some of my favourites! But what do you think about these coins? Let us know in the comments below!
Add the 2019 Peter Pan 50p coins to your collection!
These beautiful new coins are now available to add to your British Isles collection, starting from £6.25 for the individual Peter Pan coin in Brilliant Uncirculated quality and £37.50 for the Brilliant Uncirculated set.
If you’d like to take a piece of magic home with you, click here to order your Peter Pan 50p coins.
The five 50p coins RE-ISSUED to celebrate British Military History
As many collectors will know, 2019 marked the 50th Anniversary of the 50p coin.
Since its issue in 1969, the world’s first seven-sided coin has become a huge favourite with collectors and has served as a canvas to commemorate some of the most iconic moments in British Military history.
In 2019, to celebrate the milestone anniversary, The Royal Mint’s re-issued five of the most important 50p coins celebrating British Military history.
These five 50p coins, pieced together for the first time, marked a rare milestone moment for British Coinage. Not to mention the set also included the 1994 D-Day 50p re-issued in the NEW 50p specifications for the first time ever!
Find out the story of each of the coins featured in the British Military 50p Set below…
Victoria Cross Medal 50p
The Victoria Cross is the highest award for gallantry that a British serviceman can achieve. A recommendation for the Victoria Cross is normally issued by an officer at regimental level and has to be supported by three witnesses.
This coin was originally issued in 2006 to mark the 150th Anniversary of the Victoria Cross.
Depicting the obverse and reverse of a Victoria Cross medal, the design by Claire Aldridge carefully details the Cross pattée with a crown and Lion as on the medal itself.
Victoria Cross Heroic Acts 50p
The Victoria Cross Award was introduced in 1856 by Queen Victoria to honour acts of the Crimean War.
Since then, two-thirds of all awards won have been presented by the British Monarch at investitures which are usually held at Buckingham Palace.
To date, the medal has been awarded 1,358 times. A large number of these were awarded during the World Wars: 634 in World War One and 182 awarded in World War Two.
Initially issued in 2006 to mark 150 years of the Victoria Cross Award, this coin features a soldier carrying a wounded comrade with an outline of the Victoria Cross as designed by Clive Duncan.
Battle of Hastings 50p
The Battle of Hastings was fought on the 14th of October 1066 between the French Army, led by Duke William II, and the English Army led by King Harold.
King Harold was eventually defeated by William who then became known as William the Conqueror; he was crowned the first Norman King of Great Britain.
Issued in 2016 to mark 950 years since this legendary battle, the reverse design of this 50p by John Bergdahl was inspired by the Bayeux Tapestry.
Battle of Britain 50p
The Battle of Britain was an intense air battle fought mainly throughout the summer of 1940 between Germany and Britain.
The name for the conflict was derived from a Winston Churchill speech in which he said “The Battle of France is over. I expect the Battle of Britain is about to begin.”
Marking the 70th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain this coin was first issued in 2015. The reverse design, by Gary Breeze, depicts three airmen running to their planes with enemy aircraft overhead.
D-Day Landing 50p
On 6th June 1944 a mighty alliance of British, American and Commonwealth armed forces crossed from England to Normandy and began assault on German forces. It was the largest seaborne invasion in history and began the liberation of German-occupied France, laying the foundations for the Allied victory of World War Two.
A timeless tribute to the thousands of Allied troops who fought tirelessly in the War, this 50p coin was issued in 1994 to commemorate 50 years since D-Day.
Originally struck as a large 50p in the pre-1997 specifications this is the first time ever this D-Day 50p coin has been issued in the new 50p dimensions!
The reverse of the coin was designed by John Mills and represents the D-Day Landings with the Allied invasion force heading for Normandy filling the sea and sky.
Which of these coins representing British military history is your favourite? And did you manage to secure the 2019 re-issued coin set? Let us know in the comment!