To mark the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union, The Royal Mint has produced a new commemorative 50p coin collection. The coin design features the words “Peace, prosperity and friendship with all nations” and the date of the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union.
The commemorative coins will be available in Brilliant Uncirculated, Silver proof and Gold proof editions. The coin will also feature on ten million 50p coins which will enter general circulation from the 31st January.
It is the fourth time that a commemorative coin has been produced to mark the UK’s relationship with the European Union. The Royal Mint produced a coin when the UK joined the European Economic Community in 1973, created a design for the single market in 1992, and to mark the UK’s 25th anniversary of joining the EU in 1998.
To mark the milestone, The Royal Mint has created a historic two-coin set featuring the original 1973 50p coin alongside the commemorative 50p coin marking the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union.
Clare Maclennan, Director of Commemorative Coin at The Royal Mint said, “The Royal Mint has been marking significant events in British history for over 1,000 years, and has a history of commemorating the UK’s relationship with the EU through coinage. It felt fitting, that following the decision on 23rd June 2016 for the UK to leave the European Union, for The Royal Mint to produce a new 50p coin to commemorate this historic moment.”
In addition, The Royal Mint will also be producing a limited edition ‘Strike on the Day’ Sovereign, which will be struck on Friday 31st January. The Sovereign will also feature a special portcullis mint mark.
On Friday 31st January, The Royal Mint Experience will open for 24-hours – giving more visitors than ever before the opportunity to tour the site, and strike their own coin to mark the UK’s departure from the European Union. Tours for 31st January have now sold out; however, visitors will have the opportunity to strike this coin until 12th February.
The Royal Mint Experience is based in South Wales, and tickets are available to book through their website.
For more information on the different editions go to The Royal Mint website.
This is the third attempt to mint a Brexit coin. The last one was melted down because the Brexit was postponed. Michael Alexander explains this difficult story of a Brexit coin in detail.
