Costa link to the 50p coin
We trace the story of the iconic shaped coin to the designer's son living in Teulada
The story behind the 'iconic' shape of Britain’s much-loved 50 pence piece was told this week by the son of the man responsible for the coin, who lives in Teulada.
THE STORY behind the 'iconic' shape of Britain’s much-loved 50 pence piece was told this week by the son of the man responsible for the coin.
Engineer Hugh Conway suggested using an equilateralcurve heptagon for the new coin, introduced in 1969 and replacing the old ten-shilling note, said son Mike, who lives in Teulada.
Mike said his late father was the technical member of the government’s Decimal Currency Board and managing director of Bristol Siddeley Engines and Rolls Royce - at the time producing, in a joint project with the French, engines to power Concorde.
And in another inspired moment, Hugh got apprentices to make a series of ‘dummies’ of the coin – even giving the project a Concorde development number so the French paid half.
Mike decided to tell the story of an unsung hero after the Royal Mint announced it was releasing a series of special silver 50p coins to honour children’s author Beatrix Potter.
“One of the most famous stories behind the coin is when father said he would get sample coins made,” said Mike. “He went to the apprentices at Bristol Siddeley and said he wanted some made in the shape.
“The foreman said it had to be given a development number and father said give it a Concorde number so the French would pay half.”
The coin is not a circle but has the same diameter wherever measured, allowing it to roll and – like the later 20p piece – be used in parking meters and vending machines, and the unusual shape remains, even though the size was reduced in 1997.
“There was a letter to The Telegraph last year in which it is pointed out the new £1 coin has an equal number of sides and so cannot be of constant width and cannot be used in parking meters,” added Mike.
He has bought two of the new commemorative 50p coins featuring The Tales of Peter Rabbit – the issue has been a huge success despite the £60 price tag for each solid silver coin.
“It really is an iconic coin, an amazing thing,” said Mike. “In 100 years’ time someone can look at it and ask ‘who thought of that?’ The shape is not original but the design is.
“Unfortunately, I don’t know how long they will remain in circulation, but the idea to use it came from father, who at the time was also President of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers.”