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To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the institution of the Victoria Cross The Royal Mint struck two fifty pence coins (another coin celebrates the Victoria Cross Award itself). The British decimal fifty pence (50p) coin - often pronounced fifty pee - is a unit of currency equalling one half of a pound sterling. The 50p, made of three parts copper to one part nickel, was first issued in 1969 with what the Royal Mint describes as a 'revolutionary' design of an 'equilateral curve heptagon', marking it out. Victoria Cross 50p There were two different Victoria Cross 50p coins released in 2006 to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the institution of the Victoria Cross. A Service of Commemoration to mark this important event was held on Monday the 26th of June 2006 at Westminster Abbey, London, and attended by HRH The Prince of Wales.
Two different 50p coins were issued in 2000. The standard Britannia design and a commemorative coin to mark the 150th anniversary of the public libraries.
The Standard Design:
Obverse Type 4 (bust design by Ian Rank-Broadley): Princess margaret lottery 2020.
Reverse Type 3 (design by Christopher Ironside):
Mintage for Circulation: 27,915,500.
Collectability/Scarcity: 1 (for scale details see here)
The story behind the design:
The obverse portrait of the Queen by Ian Rank-Broadley was used on all UK coinage from 1998 to 2014 and also on some coins dated 2015. It was the fourth portrait of the Queen used on coinage.
The reverse design, by Christopher Ironside, shows Briannia seated. Britannia had appeared on at least one British coin denomination since the 1670s, and in fact long before that there were Roman coins showing the word ‘BRITANNIA' and the helmeted female representation of Britannia to celebrate the Roman capture of Britain.
Commemorative 50p coin, Type 6: (info on coin type numbers here)
Obverse Type 4 (bust design by Ian Rank-Broadley):
Reverse Type (design by Mary Milner Dickens):
Mintage for Circulation: 11,263,000.
Collectability/Scarcity: 1 (for scale details see here) Buffalo gold slot youtube.
The story behind the design:
The obverse portrait of the Queen by Ian Rank-Broadley was used on all UK coinage from 1998 to 2014 and also on some coins dated 2015. Chinese wheel of fortune. It was the fourth portrait of the Queen used on coinage.
The reverse design, by Mary Milner Dickens shows an opened book on top of a pillared public library building with the dates 1850 and 2000 above it. The Public Libraries Act was passed in 1850 to provide education to the public:
Victoria Cross 50p Value 2006
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These circulating commemorative coins mark the 150th anniversary of the Victoria Cross - depicting the 'Heroic Acts' of those awarded with it.
The Victoria Cross is the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy. All who have received it have shown extraordinary bravery, many at the cost of their own lives. The original idea for the Victoria Cross was proposed by the Duke of Newcastle in 1854 and the Royal Warrant for the creation of the medal was signed by Queen Victoria at Buckingham Palace on 29 January 1856. To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the institution of the Victoria Cross The Royal Mint struck two fifty pence coins (another coin celebrates the Victoria Cross Award itself).
The British decimal fifty pence (50p) coin - often pronounced fifty pee - is a unit of currency equalling one half of a pound sterling. It is a seven-sided coin formed as an equilateral-curve heptagon, or Reuleaux polygon - a curve of constant width, meaning that the diameter is constant across any bisection. This shape, which was revolutionary at the time, made it easily distinguishable from round coins both by feel and by sight, while its constant breadth allowed it to roll in vending machines.
The denomination was introduced in October 1969 when the 50p joined the 5p (shilling) and 10p (florin) coins in circulation, leaving only the three copper coins to be introduced on 15 February 1971 to complete the new series of decimal coins; unlike other coin types at the time though, the 50 pence coin was not made equivalent to a pre-decimal coin (it was the same as a crown in value but not in appearance or size).
Victoria Cross 50 Pence Coin
Twenty pence and fifty pence coins are legal tender only up to the sum of £10; this means that it is permissible to refuse payment of sums greater than this amount in 20p and 50p coins in order to settle a debt.
Victoria Cross 50p
50p coins issued in 2006 have now been in circulation for 15 years.
