THE TEAM GB 50p THE COIN COLLECTORS HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR
Back in 2012, the London Olympics gave 50p coin collecting a huge boost, with thousands of people checking their change and putting aside the 29 different designs. Now, as the 2020 Olympics finally looks set to take place in Tokyo, a new 50p is being released and as Alexandra Siddons of Change Checker reveals, the coin will be hugely popular with collectors
Back in 2020, collectors were delighted by the announcement of the new Team GB 50p, released as part of the Annual Coin Set, to celebrate Team GB's participation in the upcoming Olympic Games. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic and the postponement of the Olympic Games to 2021, this 50p was never individually released in 2020.
Collectors have desperately been waiting for the chance to get their hands on this coin and now it has been individually issued, Change Checker is delighted to be sharing the details of this brand new 50p.
Team GB 50p
The brand new coin, designed by David Knapton, features a charming depiction of various Olympic sports and the official Team GB logo. However, at Change Checker HQ, we think the most exciting feature of this brand new coin is its dual-date. Unlike the version of this coin issued as part of the 2020 Annual Coin
Set, this new coin features a 2021 dated obverse, whilst still keeping the original 2020 reverse design!
Excitingly, this will mean that there are two versions of the coin, one with the obverse dated 2020 from this year's Annual Coin Set and one with the obverse dated 2021 for next year's individual release. What's more, this makes the new 2021 UK Team GB 50p one of only a handful of UK coins to feature a dual-date.
Dual-dated coins
Other dual-dated 50ps include the 2019 dated Kew Gardens, Battle of Hastings, and Scouting 50p, all issued as part of the fiftieth anniversary of the 50p collections. These 50p coins featured both their original issue dates on the reverse and their re-issued 2019 dates on the obverse. Additionally, the 50p issued to celebrate the UK's Presidency of the European Council of Ministers and
the completion of the Single Market features both a 1992 and 1993 date on its reverse!
Undoubtedly, the dual-date on this brand new 2021 UK Team GB 50p will add to its collectability, as well as already being one of the biggest numismatic stories of the past year. And, considering the popularity of previous Olympic 50ps, we're sure collectors will be quick to snap this coin up for their collections.
Olympic 50p Craze
In 2012, 29 50p coins were released to commemorate the London Olympics and millions rose to the challenge of collecting them all. For many, this marked the start of their interest in coins. The Royal Mint now estimates that as many as 75% of the Olympic 50p coins have been removed from circulation by collectors, which is a testament to their popularity.
Only 1,125,500 ‘Football' fifty pence pieces entered circulation, making it the rarest 2012 Olympic 50p to look out for. It tops our chart as having the smallest mintage figures, which means it is even harder to find than the others.
And so collectors were delighted in 2016 when The Royal Mint issued a special 50p to wish Team GB success for the Rio 2016 Games. It was considered by many to be the 30th Olympic 50p, so could the brand new Team GB 50p be considered the 31st?
The coin's obverse features a swimmer with the Team GB logo, the Olympic rings and the inscription ‘ TEAM GB'. Designed by Tim
Sharp, the coin was officially endorsed by Team GB and celebrates the spirit of British Olympians. But, now as the 2021 UK Team GB
50p coin takes centre stage, we're sure the coin collecting community will be sent into a frenzy once more, with demand for this coin already being high.
Only the fourth cancellation in history
Since the opening of the modern Olympics in 1896, the international sports competition has only been cancelled three times: once during the First World War and twice in the Second World War. The Covid19 outbreak is the only non-militant threat to have disrupted the Olympic Games during peacetime.
This 50p marks not only Team
GB's participation in one of the most renowned sporting events worldwide, but also the impact the past year has had on centuries worth of tradition. With the significance of this year's Games playing a key part in the interest for this coin, we're certain coin collectors and sporting fans alike will be eager to add these coins to their collections.
The 2021 UK Team GB 50p is available to purchase from Change Checker in Brilliant Uncirculated quality for £4.50 (+p&p). Head to www.changechecker. org/shop to secure yours.