50p Coins
7 NEW UK Coins to be issued
7 legal tender coins have been authorised for 2016 by Royal Proclamation, including designs for Shakespeare and the Battle of Hastings.
Whilst images of the final designs are still strictly under wraps, the Proclamations give us insight into what we can expect to see:
2016 £2: The Great Fire of London 350th Anniversary
The Great Fire of London in 1666 was one of the worst disasters in British history and left a huge scar on the capital which will never be forgotten. Next year’s £2 coin to mark the 350th anniversary will feature: A view across the River Thames of the City of London in flames with boats fleeing the burning city.
2016 £2: First World War Centenary – The British Army
The third issue in the Royal Mint’s five-year commemorative series to mark commemorate the centenary of the First World War, this latest coin pays tribute to the role of the British Army. The design features: A stylised silhouette of the heads of three soldiers and references the English cubism movement prevalent around the time of the First World War.
2016 £2: 400th Anniversary of William Shakespeare’s Death (x 3 coins)
Britain’s greatest literary figure will be honoured next year for the first time on our circulating coins with three different designs set to pay tribute to the breadth of Shakespeare’s work. One design with a dagger through a crown will represent histories, the second with a cap, bells and jester’s stick will represent comedies and the final design with a skull next to a rose will represent tragedies.
2016 £1: A new design to represent the UK’s four constituent countries
With a brand new 12-sided £1 coin scheduled for 2017, this could very well be the last circular £1 coin. The reverse design of next year’s coin will feature a depiction of a lion, unicorn, stag and a dragon surrounding a crown in the centre.
2016 50p: 950th Anniversary of the Battle of Hastings
One of the most significant battles in British military history, the Battle of Hastings took place in October 1066 and next year the Royal Mint will commemorate its 950th anniversary on a new 50p coin. The reverse design depicts a scene from the Bayeux tapestry with King Harold and an arrow in his eye.
In addition to these £2, £1 and 50p coins, which we can expect to enter general circulation during 2016, the Royal Mint is also producing a commemorative £5 coin to mark the Queen’s 90th Birthday on 21 April 2016.
Own this year’s uncirculated definitive pair
Today you have the opportunity to add the very latest UK coins to your collection with our Definitive 2015 £1 and £2 Pair.
Preserved in special tamper-proof capsules, they are the first to bear the new effigy of Queen Elizabeth II by Jody Clark.
Click here for more details
Ultimate Guide: The Top 10 Rarest Coins in Circulation
Have I just found a rare coin? It’s a question which collectors ask daily, and to help answer it, we’ve put together these charts showing the TOP 10 rarest coins for each of the four denominations on the Change Checker App.
How does your coin stack up against the others?
- £2 Coins – View in the Change Checker App
The Northern Ireland 2002 Commonwealth Games is the rarest £2 coin currently in circulation – in fact the four designs in the 2002 Commonwealth Games series can be found in the top ten chart. Others to look out for include both 2008 and 2012 Olympic Handover Two Pound Coin designs and the 2015 Royal Navy £2.
- £1 Coins – View in the Change Checker App
The rarest One Pound coin currently in circulation is the Edinburgh £1 – have you ever spotted one in your change? The Royal Arms is a common design which is sometimes ignored, but remember to look out for one with a 2008 date – that’s actually the fourth rarest.
- Olympic 50p Coins – View in the Change Checker App
The Olympic Fifty Pence series is very popular with Change Checkers, but in terms of rarity, there really isn’t much separating the top 10 designs. The Football ‘Offside Rule’ 50p was certainly one of the most talked about designs, and it also narrowly ranks as the scarcest.
- 50p Coins – View in the Change Checker App
As mentioned in our previous blog the rarest coin, of any denomination, is the Kew Gardens 50p. Its status as the most scarce coin has been well publicised, and as a result, many are hoarded by collectors. The chart below illustrates just how rare it is compared with other Fifty Pence designs.
Hopefully our charts will help you identify which coins you should be looking for in your loose change, and remember you can Find, Collect and Swap all your coins for FREE with the Change Checker App: www.changechecker.org/app
Add this year’s most sought after 50ps to your collection!
Own the 2018 Paddington 50p coins in Brilliant Uncirculated quality and give this adorable British bear a home! Just £3.99 each (+p&p) >>
Which coins are missing from your collection?
Which Queen Elizabeth II portrait is your favourite?
Jody Clark recently added his name to an illustrious list in the history books by becoming only the fifth person to create an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II for British circulating coins. Each artist has given their own portrayal of the Queen which offers us a numismatic timeline showing her changing profile over the years.
But which of the five is your favourite? Place your vote below.
1. Mary Gillick (1953 – 1970)
The very first coins of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign bore Mary Gillick’s portrait of a youthful looking Queen, which she engraved especially for the new coins. Her uncrowned portrait is still used on Maundy Money distributed each year by Her Majesty.
2. Arnold Machin RA (1968 – 1984)
With decimalisation approaching, the Queen’s portrait was refreshed with Arnold Machin’s new sculpture. Commissioned in 1964, it first appeared in 1968 on the new 5p and 10p coins. A version of the design with a tiara was introduced on stamps in 1967 and remains to this day.
3. Raphael Maklouf (1985 – 1997)
With his portrayal of Her Majesty, Raphael Maklouf aimed to “create a symbol, regal and ageless”. Unlike the others, his original formal portrait depicting Queen Elizabeth II wearing the Royal Diadem was ‘couped’ (cut off above the shoulders) to become the third official effigy.
4. Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS (1998 – 2015)
The next portrait was created to fill the full circle of the coin in a deliberate response to the new smaller 5p and 10p coins in circulation. The designer, Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS, aimed to show the Queen with “poise and bearing” with his noticeably more mature portrayal.
5. Jody Clark (2015 – )
The latest portrait by Jody Clark was unveiled on 2nd March 2015 during a ceremony at the National Portrait Gallery. His elegant depiction of Queen Elizabeth II was selected by the Royal Mint Advisory Committee – and he is the first Royal Mint engraver for over 100 years to be commissioned for a royal coinage portrait.
Collect all 8 new portrait coins
Be ready to collect all the new portrait coins straight from your change with Change Checker’s New Portrait Coin Collecting Pack.
Click here to reserve yours