Posts Tagged ‘Brexit Coin’
The coin with three dates – The Brexit 50p
Following a referendum in 2016, the United Kingdom officially withdrew from the European Union on 31st January 2020. This departure was one of the most significant events to happen in modern history, and Brexit 50p coin was issued to commemorate it.
The withdrawal faced several delays and deferrals, leading to the Brexit 50p – also referred to as the UK Withdrawal from the EU 50p – being produced with THREE different dates and TWO different obverses!
Read on to find out more…
29th March 2019 Brexit 50p
In 2018, it was announced that a UK Brexit 50p would be issued to mark the withdrawal, and the Treasury posted the design on X (then Twitter). The revealed that the coin would feature the words ‘Peace, prosperity and friendship with all nations’ and the date ’29 March 2019′ – the original intended date of withdrawal.
Reportedly, 1,000 Brexit 50ps with the date 29th March 2019 were struck. However, following the deferral of Brexit until October 2019, 990 of these coins were melted down, leaving 10 remaining that are kept under lock and key at The Royal Mint, so it’s impossible to find one in your change.
31st October 2019 Brexit 50p
As the government worked towards the withdrawal on 31st October 2019, the Brexit 50p design was revised to feature the new date. The Royal Mint got to work on striking over a million coins featuring the inscription ’31 October 2019′.
Image credit: Lee Holt, Change Range
On 28th October 2019, the day before Brexit was due to go ahead, it was announced that it would be delayed yet again until 31st January 2020. Therefore, the majority of Brexit 50ps that has been struck featuring the date ’31 October 2019′ had to be melted. These coins were never distributed for circulation by The Royal Mint, however two have been found in circulation.
Lucky collector, Lee Holt, was the first to find a Brexit 50p with the date ’31 October 2019′ (pictured above), and a second was found in 2024 by an anonymous collector.
Two different obverses
What makes this even more interesting is that the two Brexit 50ps with the date ’31 October 2019′ that have been found feature two different obverses!
The obverse on Lee’s coin features Jody Clark’s portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, the year 2019 and the denomination ’50 PENCE’.
Image credit: Lee Holt, Change Range
However, the obverse of the other 31 October 2019 Brexit 50p found (pictured below) is missing the denomination.
Image credit: Lee Holt, Change Range
It’s likely that this coin was struck using the obverse die intended for the 2019 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 50p, as the denomination features on the reverse of that coin. Coins must state both the date and denomination on either the obverse or reverse, so reverse designs that feature the denomination do not need to include the denomination on the obverse.
Worth a small fortune
A numismatic specialist at Spink and Son auction house, Gregory Edmund, described the discovery of the two October 2019 dated Brexit 50ps as a ‘Willy Wonka’s Golden Ticket moment’ and said it was ‘truly electrifying for business’. Gregory said that if the coins were to go up for auction, he would expect them to fetch more than the current Spink & Son record for a circulating coin, which was when a gold 1965 halfpenny with an error sold for £42,000 in 2023.
I’m sure those collectors who have discovered this incredibly rare coin aren’t willing to sell them any time soon, but with an estimated value of more than £42,000 – it’s definitely tempting!
31st January 2020 Brexit 50p
Due to another deferral, The Royal Mint had to once again revise the design of the Brexit 50p to feature the new date ’31 January 2020′.
It was this version of the coin that was finally produced in line with Brexit taking place on 31st January 2020, and 10,001,000 of them entered circulation.
So how rare is the Brexit 50p?
Our latest 50p mintage figure chart shows that the Brexit 50p/UK Withdrawal from the EU 50p with the correct date ’31 January 2020′ ranks a fair way down the list, meaning it’s not particularly rare.
The 2020 Brexit 50p also ranks as ‘common’ on our Scarcity Index, which combines a coin’s mintage figure with with how many collectors have listed the coin as being in their collection on the Change Checker App, and the number of times the coin has been requested as a swap on our Swap Centre.
Check out our latest Scarcity Index >>
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Confirmed: Brexit 50p will be issued in 2019
*** UPDATE 12/08/2019 ***
The Chancellor Sajid Javid has asked officials if it will be possible to produce Brexit 50p coins in time for Britain’s departure from the EU in October 2019.
Previously, Chancellor Philip Hammond planned for just 10,000 commemorative Brexit coins to be struck for the event, however Javid intends millions of Brexit 50ps to be produced for circulation.
As mentioned in the blog below, the coin will have the words, “Peace, Prosperity and Friendship with all nations” and feature the date of Brexit – now 31st October 2019.
But with only a few months to go, will the coins be signed off by the Queen’s privy council and struck by The Royal Mint in time for Brexit?
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It’s official! A Brexit 50p WILL be issued by The Royal Mint to mark the UK’s exit from the EU!
Within his budget, the Chancellor unveiled his advanced plans for the 50p coin, which will be released in Spring 2019.
As such a controversial issue, which has created much disruption across the UK and the EU since the referendum in June 2016, Philip Hammond hopes that this new coin, which is expected to bear the phrase ‘Peace, prosperity and friendship with all nations’, will promote the positivity of the event.
Brexit 50p announced. Credit @HRTreasury
In our previous blog, we asked Change Checkers if they would like to see a Brexit coin and 68% of you believed that such a significant moment in Britain’s history should be commemorated with a 50p coin. The Government has now finally conceded to create a gesture for this landmark moment and recognise its importance, although Treasury sources say the department has secretly been working on plans for the coin for months now.
The importance of Brexit can now be likened to Britain’s entry to the European Economic Community, which was then incorporated into the EU in 1993. A 50p coin was issued in 1973 to mark the occasion, featuring nine hands clasping each other in a circle, symbolising the nine member states of the community, intended to represent the trust, assistance and friendship which comes with EEC membership. So important was this event, that in 1998 the first “new sized” commemorative 50p was issued to commemorate 25 years of the UK in the EEC.
89,775,000 of the 1973 50p coins were struck for collectors but is no longer in circulation, whilst the 1998 coin has a mintage figure of 5,043,000 and can still be found in circulation.
1973 and 1998 EEC 50p coins
It seems that the idea of commemorating Brexit in some way is popular amongst collectors, as commemorative 50p shaped Brexit souvenirs are now available on eBay and are currently selling for £6.99. These are not legal tender, but go to show that a Brexit 50p coin is certainly in demand and could be incredibly sought-after.
Brexit commemorative medal. Credit: eBay
An order has now been issued by Mr Hammond to The Royal Mint advisory committee to draw up a designs for the Brexit 50p coin, which should be signed off later this year. Just as the EEC 50p from 1973 intended to promote the development of new relationships, so too will the Brexit 50p, but what do you think about the plans for the new coin?
We posted a poll on our Facebook page to find out what Change Checkers think and 66% of you think we should have a Brexit coin, compared to just 34% voted against the coin and the majority opinion seems to be that we had a coin for entering the EU, so we should also have one for leaving.
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The 2019 Brexit coin… Are EU for or against it?
Have you heard the latest press rumours about the possibility of a commemorative Brexit coin being struck to mark the UK’s departure from the European Union?
In the news this week, we’ve heard that Conservative MPs are demanding the Treasury produce a ‘Brexit coin’ for 2019, but opinions seem to be split as to whether or not the coin should in fact be made.
Whilst the Treasury is believed to be enthusiastic about the plans, the Department for Business has reportedly rejected proposals for the Royal Mail to issue commemorative Brexit stamps.
Traditionally, stamps and coins have played an important role in celebrating Britain’s historical milestones.
In 1973 both a commemorative stamp and 50p coin were issued to mark the UK’s entry into the EEC, which was then incorporated into the EU in 1993.
1973 Britain’s Entry into European Community Stamps. Credit: The Guardian
1973 50p issued for the UK’s accession to the European Economic Community
As Britain reaches such a significant moment in the country’s history, should stamps and coins be issued to celebrate this, or is the issue just too controversial a topic for our nation to memorialise?
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson commented, “Leaving the European Union will be a monumental moment in British history, so let’s deliver a commemorative stamp that shows the world we’ve got Brexit licked.”
Despite this, the Royal Mail Director of Public Affairs and Policy has rejected the proposal for a commemorative ‘Brexit stamp’ on the grounds that the Royal Mail must remain a figure of political neutrality.
Nonetheless, Conservative MPs seem to remain ever hopeful that the plans for a commemorative Brexit coin will be granted.
The Royal Mint Advisory Committee will be deliberating on whether or not to grant approval for this proposal and if it is approved, the design will then be proposed to Chancellor Philip Hammond before being sent to the Queen for Royal approval.
In coming months, we may see a public petition and even a design competition for the coin, but will you be signing your name to support the production of this coin?
Results from our Facebook poll showed that 68% of you voted in favour of a commemorative Brexit coin. We shall see what the future holds for this coin as The Royal Mint Advisory Committee deliberates the proposal…