Could this be the last ever Scottish 50p?
Could this be the last Scottish 50p?
Scotland has long enjoyed good representation on UK currency, especially on the commemorative coins of the last 30 years.
But with the vote for Scottish independence looming, could this be the end for Scottish themes on coins used across the whole of Britain?
If so, the 50p just issued to mark the Glasgow Commonwealth Games would become the last ever Scottish 50p issued whilst the Union is still intact.
Firsts and lasts
Collectors know that ‘firsts’ and ‘lasts’ are often the most sought after issues. Sometimes this only becomes apparent in the years following the event – when the true importance of the coin is revealed.
With this in mind, the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games 50p could be one of the most unintentionally important issues of the early 21st century.
You have to go back to 1707 to find the last pre-Union coins, struck during the reign of Queen Anne. These are now some of the most collectable issues of her reign, and usually the preserve of serious collections only.
So if you happen to be the owner of one of these 50ps, only time will tell how important it could become – regardless it’s a coin with a story of genuine national importance, and one that should definitely be considered for your collection.
If you are interested…
- DateStamp(TM) UK Commonwealth Games 50p
Our friends at The Westminster Collection have a small number of these 50ps remaining from their Commonwealth Games commemorative range.
They are encapsulated and postmarked on the day of the closing ceremony, making them particularly limited. Click here for more information.
This 50p just sold for £820.00
Finding a coin which is worth a small fortune is the stuff of dreams for every Change Checker. You may remember the excitement over the rarity of the Kew Gardens 50p earlier this year and the bidding frenzy that occurred on eBay shortly afterwards.
Well now there is a coin which has eclipsed the Kew Gardens, both in terms of scarcity, and the sheer scale of money changing hands.
This week, a UK 50 pence piece sold on eBay for £820. Or to put it another way, 1,640 times its face value!
It appears to be an ordinary Aquatics Olympic 50p at first glance, but this coin has a special quality which collectors desire more than anything else: an error.
And the good news is, there are more out there to be found!
The rare Aquatics Olympic 50p sold on eBay this week for £820.00
In 2011 the Aquatics Olympic 50p depicting a swimmer underwater was redesigned by the Royal Mint to make the swimmer’s face more visible. However, before the change was made, a small number of coins were struck with the original design.
The coin on the left is the rare original design, with waves passing over the swimmer’s face
The added sense of excitement and anticipation over this particular error is that nobody knows exactly how many of the original coins were ever struck.
Their rare appearance at auction (and only so far in their original packaging) along with the astronomical amounts which buyers are happy to pay, supports the theory that there are very few around.
The 29 Olympic designs are now commonplace in our day-to-day life, so this coin ultimately is just a normal 50p which you would happily pass over the counter to pay for something. Blink and you would miss that small detail which is worth so much to coin collectors.
But the Aquatics Olympic 50p error is the latest example of why you should always carefully check what’s in your change – there really could be treasure hidden in your pocket!
Do you have an Aquatics Olympic 50p?
You can add it to your collection on the Change Checker App here
What’s on the other side of your coin?
During the hurried anticipation when rifling through your change in the hope of finding a new commemorative coin for your collection, you could be forgiven for not paying much attention to the Queen’s head on the obverse side of the coin.
But as a Change Checker, you really should!
Commemorative themes change each year, but while we hunt around for that elusive design, the Queen has quietly undergone her own transformation.
Arnold Machin, Raphael Maklouf, Ian Rank-Broadley and Jody Clark have all portrayed Her Majesty in their own style on the obverse of our decimal coins and a full collection of these portraits offers a numismatic timeline showing her changing profile over the years.
Mary Gillick (1953-1970) The very first coins of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign bore Mary Gillick’s portrait of a youthful looking Queen, which she engraved especially for the new coins. However, you wont find any coins with the uncrowned portrait of Her Majesty in your change as the portrait changed with decimalisation in 1971.
Arnold Machin (1968-1984) It was decided to refresh the Queen’s portrait in preparation for decimalisation, and Machin’s youthful Queen with a tiara is still found on our postage stamps today.
Raphael Maklouf (1985-1997) Maklouf aimed to create a symbol which was ‘regal and ageless’. His version of Queen Elizabeth II wearing the Royal Diadem was the most short-lived of the three portraits – running for 12 years up until 1997.
You’ve probably heard of the ‘Necklace’ £2 – the very first bi-metallic £2 coin which was issued in 1997 and is the only one to feature Maklouf’s portrait. It found fame in the late nineties and many collectors hoarded them from circulation, making them tricky to find in change.
Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS (1998-2015) Ian Rank-Broadley’s FRBS more mature portrayal of the Queen filled a larger space on the coin in a deliberate response to the smaller 5p and 10p coins in circulation.
Jody Clark (2015-present) Jody Clark’s portrait of Her Majesty shows a side profile of the Queen wearing a crown and drop earrings. He was the first Royal Mint engraver for over 100 years to be commissioned for a royal coinage portrait.
Jody Clark’s new effigy marked a brand new chapter in the history of our circulating coinage, and as any collector will tell you, first issues hold a significance and a lasting degree of collectability for years into the future.
In fact, many Change Checkers don’t regard their collection as complete until they have found each portrait!
So remember to take a closer look at the other side of your coin. Each one has its own identity and may be more rare than you think!
** FIFTH PORTRAIT COLLECTOR PACK**
Now you can collect all eight definitive coins featuring the Queen’s brand new effigy by Jody Clark as soon as you spot them in your change.
Click here to order your New Portrait Collecting Pack.