The Royal Mint has confirmed that a 50p coin celebrating Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee will be released into circulation via Post Offices across the UK from Monday 7 February.
The special 50p coin features a commemorative Platinum Jubilee design on the ‘tails’ side of the coin and will be circulated following the 70th anniversary of Her Majesty’s accession to the throne in 1952.
The collaboration with UK Post Offices ensures that members of the public will get the chance to receive the special 50p coin in their change at branches nationwide from 7 February onwards.
The Royal Mint has already started to strike the coins at their highly secure site in South Wales, with a pressure of around 60 tonnes striking up to 850 coins a minute.
It is the first time that a Royal event has been celebrated on a 50p, Britain’s most collectable coin.
Designed by artists Osborne Ross, the coin features the number 70 with the Royal Cypher and the dates of Her Majesty’s reign framed inside the zero. On the opposite side is the fifth definitive portrait of The Queen, by Jody Clark, which appears on all circulating UK coin.
The Royal Mint’s Director of UK Currency Mark Loveridge said: “Coins tell the story of our nation and we are delighted to be working with the Post Office to mark this special Royal occasion. By issuing the Platinum Jubilee coin into circulation it ensures that this significant moment in history can be cherished for generations to come.”
Trusted by monarchs for 1,100 years, The Royal Mint has struck circulating coins for The Queen throughout her reign, including five definitive portraits of Her Majesty. The Platinum Jubilee 50p coins are expected to be highly sought after due to the limited release of 1.3 million for UK Post Offices. The maximum coin mintage is set at 5,000,070 coins – in a special nod to 70 years on the throne.
Nick Read, Chief Executive at the Post Office, said: “We are thrilled to be part of the celebrations for Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee year and that our 11,500 Post Offices across the whole of the United Kingdom will exclusively start the circulation of this special 50p coin from Monday 7th February. Postmasters are at the heart of their local communities and have been throughout our 360-year history. I have no doubt that this will be a real honour and privilege for Postmasters and their teams.”
The circulation news comes after The Royal Mint released a commemorative coin collection for Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, featuring a unique design on both sides of the coin. Collectors can find out more about the Platinum Jubilee range, and the commemorative 50p, at The Royal Mint.