Posts Tagged ‘definitive designs’
Which RARE definitive 50p coins should you be looking out for?
At Change Checker, we often talk a lot about the commemorative coins you can find in your change, but did you know there are some definitive coins that can be just as rare? Join me as we delve into the world of definitive 50p coins, and which ones you should be looking out for in your change.
Britannia 50ps
Britannia, a fictional representation of Britain itself, first appeared on our coins in Roman times, but became a more permanent figure on UK coins in 1960s. Since its decimal introduction in 1969, Britannia could be found on the definitive 50p all the way up to 2008, when her portrait was replaced by the Royal Shield design.
Britannia 50ps are some of the most common coins in circulation, however there is one date you should keep an eye out for. If you come across a 2008 dated Britannia 50p, you should consider yourself lucky, as only 3,500,000 of these entered circulation!
This year was particularly significant because it marked the final time the Britannia design was issued for circulation before the introduction of the Royal Shield design.
Royal Shield 50ps
Next, let’s turn our attention to the Royal Shield 50ps, which featured on definitive UK 50ps from 2008 to 2022. The Royal Shield 50p was introduced in 2008 as part of Matthew Dent’s new definitive designs on the 1p to the 50p, which when fitted together, actually reveal the Royal Shield.
The last Royal Shield 50p issued for circulation was in 2022, and since then we’ve had the passing of Queen Elizabeth II and the Coronation of King Charles III – so there’s been a shakeup in UK definitive coins!
The first definitive coins featuring King Charles III were revealed in October 2023, and the first one to enter circulation was the Atlantic Salmon 50p. Despite an estimated 500,000 Salmon 50ps entering circulation in November 2023, collectors have been finding them hard to come by!
Despite the Royal Shield being the definitive UK 50p design for a 14 year period, not every year saw them entering circulation. Royal Shield 50ps dated 2009, 2010, 2011, 2016, 2018 and 2021 are particularly special, because they were never intended for general circulation.
Instead, they were exclusively issued in annual coin sets, so the only way they could have ended up in your change is if a Brilliant Uncirculated version had been broken out of its collector pack and spent! Due to this, it’s not known how many Royal Shield 50ps with these dates are out there, but they do crop up from time to time, so it’s worth keeping an eye out for them!
Finally, there is one more definitive coin that we need to talk about – the 2017 Royal Shield 50p. Unlike its set-exclusive counterparts, this coin was released into circulation, however it has a mintage figure of just 1,800,000. This makes the 2017 Royal Shield 50p the rarest definitive 50p in circulation since the smaller 50p specification was introduced in 1997. So if you’re lucky enough to have one, you’ve got a true gem in your collection!
So, now you’re in the know about the rare definitive 50ps to watch out for in your change.
Do you have any of the coins I’ve mentioned in your collection? Let me know in the comments!
Secure the King Charles III New UK Coinage Set
If you haven’t been lucky enough to come across a King Charles III Salmon 50p in your change, you can secure it as part of the New UK Coinage Set which includes all 8 new definitive coin designs with a special privy mark on the obverse.
What are Definitive Coins?
Whilst new commemorative coins are issued each year to celebrate some of the UK’s most important anniversaries, did you know that the coins most readily found in our day-to-day change feature the same designs each year?
These are known as the ‘definitive’ coins, and it’s actually been a whole 15 years since we last saw a change to their reverse designs!
But, as we now enter a new era of King Charles III, it’s #AllChange for our humble definitive coins, with eight brand new designs set to be revealed this year…
From the 1p to the £2, these coins have formed the UK’s circulating currency for over 50 years.
In this blog, we’ll take a look at the history of UK definitive coins and what the future might bring as we look forward to the new releases coming soon!
The UK’s Eight Definitive Coins
There are eight different coin denominations to be found in our everyday change (1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1, £2).
Their story began in 1971, when Britain’s coinage went decimal – a plan which had been in the making for over 10 years!
Originally, only the 1p-50p coins were released and each featured the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Arnold Machin on the obverse. Their reverse designs had been created by Christopher Ironside, for which he won an OBE.
Credit: The Royal Mint
Whilst the Queen’s portrait has changed on these coins throughout the years (Raphael Maklouf in 1985, Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS in 1998 with the introduction of the definitive £2 coin and Jody Clark in 2015), it wasn’t until 2008 that the reverse designs all changed and the first definitive £1 was introduced.
The Royal Shield on Coins
In 2008, the new definitive coins were released.
Competition winner, Matthew Dent had created a clever design utilising each of the denominations from 1p-50p and bringing them together like a jigsaw to form the Royal Shield – shown in its entirety on the definitive £1 coin.
At this time, the definitive £2 remained unchanged with the Technology design, first introduced in 1998.
Britannia £2
The very last change we’ve seen to our definitive coins came in 2015, when the £2 reverse design was updated to the iconic Britannia design by Anthony Dufort.
Not only this, but the obverse design for all denominations was also updated in 2015 as the last effigy of Queen Elizabeth II by Jody Clark graced our UK coinage.
What’s next for UK Definitive Coins?
Usually, definitive coins are issued each year as part of the Annual Coin Set and then released into circulation based on demand.
However, following the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the introduction of King Charles III’s new coinage portrait, this year has been an exception…
Whilst a 2023 Annual Coin Set was released, this only featured 5 commemorative designs and no definitive coins.
Throughout the year, many collectors have asked us when the King Charles III definitive coins will be released and what the designs will be.
Excitingly, it seems that the wait is almost over, as The Royal Mint announced on the 5th October 2023 that we can expect to see new definitive coin designs featuring King Charles III on the obverse very soon…
This will be the first time that both the ‘heads’ and ‘tails’ sides of coins have changed at the same time, and of course, the first time the King will feature on a UK 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p and £1 coin!
As perhaps the biggest change we’ve seen to UK coinage in decades, we’re expecting a huge collecting rush for the New UK Coinage for King Charles III and can’t wait to see the new coins when they’re released.
Keep an eye on our social media and website as we’ll be updating you as soon as we have more information on when these exciting new coins.
What do you think the designs will look like? Let us know in the comments below!
Last Coins of the Queen feature Special Privy Mark
2022 is likely a year no collector will forget.
We’ve celebrated a Platinum Jubilee, mourned the loss of our Queen and welcomed a new monarch to the throne.
And, as ever, these extraordinary moments are retold through our UK coins.
Today, to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II’s incredible life and reign, an official UK Memorial coin set has been released. The coins feature the eight definitive coins from 2022, alongside the new Memorial 50p and £5 with the King’s portrait.
Last UK Coins of Queen Elizabeth II
Importantly, the definitive coins in this set will be the last in the UK to feature Her Majesty’s portrait.
What’s more, each definitive obverse design also features a special privy mark to show the Queen’s year of birth and year of passing – a never-before-seen feature for these coins, which is bound to add to their collectability.
Since Her Majesty’s passing, we’ve seen incredible demand for QE II coins. Both historic and new issues. Recent releases are continuously selling out at The Royal Mint and older issues are becoming increasingly scarce as the nation rushes to secure keepsakes and lasting tributes for the Queen.
And this set features the very last coins of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, meaning rapid sell outs of the limited precious metal versions are absolutely on the cards…
The good news for collectors is that the Brilliant Uncirculated version of the set is unlimited.
However, The Royal Mint have announced that stock will only be available until the 31st December 2022, so the sales window is incredibly limited for those of you wanting to secure this set.
Source: Joel Rouse/ Ministry of Defence Derivative: nagualdesign, OGL 3, via Wikimedia Commons
Appearing on our coins throughout her outstanding reign as our longest serving monarch, I’m sure you’ll agree that this set really is a touching tribute to Her Majesty. It’s a piece of history to treasure for generations to come.
Let us know in the comments below if you like the privy mark on the last Queen Elizabeth II coins.
Own the Last Coins of Her Majesty, with special privy mark, in Brilliant Uncirculated quality
You can own the 2022 Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Coin Set in Brilliant Uncirculated quality here >>
But, due to the limited sales window, you’ll need to act fast to make sure you don’t miss out.