Coin Collector

Coin Collector | 39 | www.allaboutcoins.co.uk considered hugely significant in British history, numismatic history, and as a staple for any UK coin collection. The 1973 EEC 50p had a circulating mintage of 89,755,000 and is no longer in circulation, following the introduction of the smaller 50p in 1997. 1992/93 European Council Presidency 50p In 1992/93 the UK celebrated its presidency of the European Council of Ministers, and the completion of the Single Market. The intricate design of this 50p by Mary Milner Dickens (who later designed the 2000 Libraries and the 2003 Suffragettes 50ps) shows a conference table seen from above, around which are the 12 chairs for the Council of Ministers. However, what makes this 50p particularly special and sought-after by collectors is not the design, but the mintage. This 1992/93 European Community Presidency 50p had a circulating mintage of JUST 109,000, making it the rarest UK 50p to EVER enter circulation. When you consider the Kew Gardens is the rarest 50p currently in circulation and has a mintage of 210,000 you start to grasp how small the mintage for this 50p really is! Unfortunately this coin is no longer in circulation and so any collector lucky enough to have one in their collection must be incredibly pleased! 1998 UK Entry to the EEC 25th Anniversary 50 p In 1998, a new United Kingdom 50p was issued to commemorate 25 years since the UK joined the EEC. Remarkably, this European Union inspired 50p coin is the subject of another numismatic first – the first ‘new sized’ commemorative 50p to be issued following the specification change in 1997. The old larger coins were removed from circulation and the new sized 50p, which has featured some of our most iconic coin designs, was introduced, becoming the most collected coin in the world! Designed by John Mills (designer of the much-loved 1994 D-Day 50p), the reverse of this coin is a celebratory design showing 12 stars to represent the twelve ministers of the EU, as well as the dates 1973 and 1998 to signify the 25th anniversary. This coin has a circulating mintage of 5,043,000 and can still be found in your change, so make sure you keep your eyes out for one to add to your collection! 2020 UK Withdrawal from the European Union And finally, the newly released Brexit 50p now tells the story of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU and the end of the 47-year partnership. This brand new 50p has been released into circulation, although exact mintage figures haven’t yet been confirmed. It’s already proving incredibly popular and we’re sure any collector lucky enough to come across one will be keeping tight hold of it for their collection, so make sure you keep a close look out for them in your change. It’s incredible to look back at some of the most ground-breaking 50p issues that are tied to this relationship and, despite the controversy surrounding Brexit, the importance of this numismatic issue surely cannot be denied. If you’d like to find out more about the Brexit 50p and the other coins mentioned in this article, head over to www.changechecker. org/Brexit50pCoin