General info
The coin that’s got it all… a never-before-seen mintmark, a minting first and a 50th anniversary to celebrate!
2019 marks a milestone moment for coin collectors as the world’s first seven-sided coin celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Since its introduction in 1969, the 50p has become one of the most collected UK coins, featuring many different commemorative designs and in recent years, inspiring a whole new generation of coin collectors.
Which is why we’re so excited the 50p coin we’ve been waiting all year for has JUST been released.
The 50 Years of the 50p Anniversary Coin has just been released by The Royal Mint for UK Collectors and is the only official UK 50p coin to be issued to celebrate this most-important numismatic anniversary.
We’re sure you’re just as excited about this as we are so let’s take a closer look at the incredibly special anniversary design…
50 Years of the 50p Anniversary Coin – The Design
‘The Shape of a Revolution’ – carefully designed by The Royal Mint design team, this unique 50p is said to ‘pay tribute to the science that gave us the world’s first seven-sided coin’.
Featuring Christopher Ironside’s iconic Britannia on the reverse, inscribed with ‘NEW PENCE’ just as the original 1969 coin was, this unique 50p has not one, but two special features:
- An exclusive never-before-seen mint mark; the Spirograph type design has been drawn from an extension of lines forming the 50p shape. It pays tribute to the revolutionary coin design and is entirely exclusive to the anniversary issue.
- A minting first; on the outer rim of the reverse design, the letters A-G appear on each point and are joined by crossing lines. This is a minting first on a UK 50p.
It’s hardly surprising that an anniversary of this significance would warrant such a special 50p design, but the collectability of this remarkable new issue is certain to make this one of the most popular 50p releases of the year.
This coin is a commemorative design only, issued to celebrate the anniversary, and will not be entering general circulation.
How many different designs?!
In the 50 years since its introduction, the 50p coin has seen a change in size specification, two definitive designs, over seventy commemorative designs, four portraits of Queen Elizabeth II and has become the most collected UK coin – a busy few decades some might say!
In the past we’ve asked Change Checkers to vote for their favourite 50p coin of all time and the winning design was the 1994 D Day 50p. But now that this extraordinary new coin has been released, I wonder if it will become a new favourite amongst collectors…
Let us know your thoughts on this brand new release and what your favourite 50p design is below!
Secure The Official 50th Anniversary 50p Coin
Struck to a superior Brilliant Uncirculated quality, your anniversary coin has been protectively encapsulated and certified by Change Checker.
Secure your official 50 Years of the 50p CERTIFIED BU Anniversary Coin for just £4.50 (+p&p) today.
Wallace and Gromit to feature on a new UK coin!
Everybody knows the moon is made of cheese, but did you know that a brand new Wallace and Gromit coin is coming to the UK soon?
The Royal Proclamation on the 11th October 2019 revealed that the new coin will be a 50p – the UK’s most collected coin!
Stay up to date with all the latest Wallace and Gromit news…
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If you’re interested in coin collecting, our Change Checker web app is completely free to use and allows users to:
– Find and identify the coins in their pocket
– Collect and track the coins they have
– Swap their spare coins with other Change Checkers
Sign up today at: www.changechecker.org/app
Can change collecting improve mindfulness?
Have you ever considered how change collecting could benefit your mindfulness?
We all know the joy of building up a coin collection, but it’s also worth considering how checking your change could improve mindfulness…
This was brought to our attention when a Change Checker wrote in to tell us about how he started coin collecting after it was recommended to help with mindfulness.
As today is Mindfulness Day, we thought it would be a good idea to share these ideas with you and get your take on the benefits of change collecting.
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness encourages people to reconnect with their bodies and the sensations they experience to become more aware of the present moment.
This has been said to help us enjoy the world around us more and understand ourselves better.
Mindfulness is strongly connected with emotional awareness. An awareness of this kind could also help us notice signs of stress or anxiety earlier and deal with them better.
How does change collecting relate to mindfulness?
Mental Health Charity, Mind (2018) suggests setting aside regular time to practice mindfulness in some way.
There are many different mindfulness techniques, such as practising yoga, meditation or deep breathing, but you could also consider finding a hobby or activity which you find relaxing and gives you a sense of achievement to help create a mindful state of being.
Change checking involves patience.
I’m sure we’ve all been there, diligently checking through the change in your piggy bank to see what you can find. The repetitive practise of checking through coins could help you to focus on the present, and I don’t know about you, but I certainly find it relaxing.
In fact, even watching others check through change seems to promote feelings of positivity.
Just take a look at the amount of YouTube coin hunt videos to see how many people resonate with this.
Learning is key
Research shows that learning throughout life is associated with greater satisfaction and optimism and can give you a sense of achievement and a new confidence.
This can come from starting a new hobby (such as coin collecting) or setting new targets e.g. completing a specific collection.
But it could also involve learning about the different coins in circulation. Put your knowledge to the test in our 50p quiz or learn about the designers behind your favourite 50p coins to expand your knowledge.
Strengthening relationships
Remember, learning often involves interacting with other people. It’s been suggested that this can increase one’s wellbeing by helping us build and strengthen social relationships.
The Change Checker social channels and our Facebook community page provide a space for novice, intermediate and the advance coin collectors to talk about their shared interest and swap with one another.
Set your goals
If you’re new to coin collecting, think about setting yourself some achievable goals.
Perhaps you could start collecting a series such as Beatrix Potter, Paddington or the Olympic 50ps.
For the more advanced collectors, perhaps think about different ways to collect, such as joining the Definitive 50p Collecting Challenge, or starting a date run collection.
However you choose to further your hobby, the important thing to keep in mind is that you are taking part in something you love, which brings you happiness, and can hopefully improve your mindfulness.
Have you felt the benefits of coin collecting? Let us know in the comments below.
If you’re interested in coin collecting, our Change Checker web app is completely free to use and allows users to:
– Find and identify the coins in their pocket
– Collect and track the coins they have
– Swap their spare coins with other Change Checkers
Sign up today at: www.changechecker.org/app