The celebrations of Queen Elizabeth II’s longest reign just keep coming, as the Royal Mint has released a new £50 silver coin in her honour.
This is the first £50 coin to hold the same face value as it is on sale for and only 100,000 of the coins will be minted.
Designed by youngest ever to receive the honour, 33-year old Jody Clark, the coin is unusual as his images appear on both sides of the coin.
Clark has designed the fifth definitive portrait of Queen Elizabeth to be seen on circulating coins since the Queen ascended the throne in 1952. The current portrait of Queen Elizabeth has been used on coins since March.
The new £50 coin, each weighing around 31 grams with a 34mm diameter, also features a contemporary image of Britannia on the reverse side.
Clark said: “Having my portrait of the Queen selected for Britain’s coinage was an incredible experience, but now, seeing the portrait combined with my Britannia design on the UK’s new £50 coin is a double honour.”
The coin marking the birth of Prince George was the first coin to sell at ‘face value’ and sold out within days. A £100 coin featuring Big Ben also sold out incredibly fast.
Just as previous commemorative coins, the £50 coin is legal tender, but not ‘circulatory tender’ meaning it cannot be used to make a purchase. The Royal Mint is hoping that it will be considered a collectable based on its design, the historic event it celebrates and the limited quantity.
Royal Mint’s Director of Commemorative Coin Anne Jessopp spoke of the release: “It seems apt that these two familiar British figures, both designed by Jody Clark, feature together on the UK’s first face value £50 coin in the year that The Queen became Britain’s longest reigning monarch, and Britannia returned to the circulating coinage.”
After surpassing her great-grandmother Queen Victoria’s record back on 9 September, Queen Elizabeth is now the longest reigning monarch in British history.
You can get your commemorative coin on the Royal Mint’s website, but hurry before they sell out!
