In 2012, 29 50p coins were released to commemorate the London Olympics and millions rose to the challenge of collecting them all. For many, this marked the start of their interest in coins. The Royal Mint now estimates that as many as 75% of the Olympic 50p coins have been removed from circulation by collectors, which is a testament to their.
With 25 days to go until the Olympic Games in Rio this Summer, the Royal Mint have released a coin that’s sure to excite the hundreds of thousands of people who collected the Sports 50p coins for the London 2012 Olympics.
This UK 50p coin has been released to wish Team GB success in Rio this summer.
- Each 50p features a different Olympic sport. Designed by Justin Chung from Manchester, the idea was inspired by the determination and body language of boccia players. Similar to bowls, the main aim of Boccia is to get your own balls closer to ‘the jack’ than your opponent. The sport is unique to the paralympic games.
- The Royal Mint has begun the countdown to the 50th anniversary of ‘D-day’. Not the World War II beach landing, that was in 1944, but ‘decimalisation day’. On 15 February 1971, UK coinage was reorganised into the way we know today, with the old system of 12 pence in a shilling and 20 pence in.
The coin’s obverse design features a swimmer with the Team GB logo, the Olympic rings and the inscription ‘TEAM GB’. Designed by Tim Sharp, the coin has been officially endorsed by Team GB and celebrates the spirit of the British Olympians.
The 30th Olympic 50p
In the lead up to the 2012 Olympic Games, 29 million Olympic 50p coins were released into circulation across 29 different designs – 1 for each Olympic sport.
Remarkably the Royal Mint estimated that 75% of those coins were removed from circulation as collectors clamoured to complete the collection, with many coins like Football and Judo barely ever seen in your change today.
[read more about which Olympic 50p coins are the rarest]
Olympic 50p
The top 10 rarest Olympic 50p coins
The new Team GB coin will surely become known as the “30th Olympic 50p” and with so many established collectors, it seems certain that its release will be greeted with much excitement.
The 2016 UK Team GB 50p
If you can’t wait to find this coin in your change you can add the Brilliant Uncirculated Team GB 50p to your collection now.
Olympic 50p Coins
