Posts Tagged ‘D-Day’
Three medals, two Kings, one incredible coin – The Stories of the Second World War 50p
The 2025 Stories of the Second World War 50p represents the impactful stories of those who lived through World War II, that will unfortunately soon fade from living memory. It also marks a historic first for British coinage, as it’s the first UK 50p to feature two different Kings – King George VI on the reverse and His Majesty King Charles III on the obverse!
Three Medals
The design on the Stories of the Second World War 50p was created by Timothy Noad with the assistance of Imperial War Museums, and depicts the medals awarded to millions who contributed to the cause. The medals featured include the 1939-45 Star, Defence Medal and War Medal, representing the countless unique experiences of the Second World War.
The 1939-45 Star (left) was awarded to personnel of the Navy, Army or RAF personnel who completed operational service overseas between 3 September 1939 and 8 May 1945 (2 Sept 1945 in Far East). The medal is a 6 pointed star with the crowned royal cipher of George VI on the obverse and the reverse is blank as with all World War II stars.
Image Credit: Auckland Museum, CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The Defence Medal (centre) was awarded to military and civilian subjects of the British Commonwealth during the Second World War and bears the uncrowned coinage effigy of George VI on the obverse. On the reverse of the medal was the Royal crown atop an oak tree, flanked by two heraldic lions.
Credit: Robert Prummel, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The War Medal (right) was the most common medal awarded to British and Commonwealth citizens who served in the Armed Forces or Merchant Navy during World War II. It features a crowned effigy of George VI on the obverse and a lion trampling on a monster with features of both an eagle and serpent on the reverse.
Credit: Acabashi, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Two Kings
Two of the three medals that features on the Stories of World War II 50p feature the effigy of King George VI, who was reigning monarch from 1936-1952 – the entirety of the Second World War. This, along with the portrait of King Charles III that features on the obverse of the coin, makes the first time ever that two different Kings have features on a UK 50p coin!
Two different Kings have previously featured on crowns, such as the 2023 King Charles I 1oz and the 2023 Charles II 1oz, however this is the first time in living memory – maybe even ever – that two different Kings have featured on the same 50p coins.
One incredible coin
The Second World War was a time when extraordinary courage and relentless effort came from all corners of the UK and the Commonwealth, forever shaping modern British society. From the battlefields to the home front, everyone played a role in the war effort—each story, a testament to resilience and unity.
These stories have been immortalised on the 2025 Stories of the Second World War 50p, preserving them for generations to come, and you can own a piece of history by securing it for your collection in Brilliant Uncirculated quality.
Our military history on UK coins
1994 D-Day 50p
The 1994 D-Day 50p was issued to mark the 50th anniversary of the Normandy Landings. This coin was originally issued in the larger 50p specification, meaning you’re no longer able to find it in your change. It was later re-issued in 2019 in the smaller 50p specification, however this version didn’t enter circulation.
Interestingly, the 1994 D-Day 50p was voted the all time favourite 50p coin by Change Checkers!
2024 D-Day 50p
30 years later in 2024, a new D-Day UK 50p was issued, this time marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day. The design was created by renowned sculptor David Lawrence in collaboration with Imperial War Museums and depicts brave Allied troops risking their lives on that fateful day.
This coin didn’t enter circulation, but when paired with the 1994 D-Day 50p, makes for a poignant reminder of the incredibly important day in history.
VC Medal and Heroic Acts 50ps
In 2006, two 50p coins were issued to mark 150 years of the Victoria Cross award – the highest and most prestigious decoration of the British decorations system. One of the coins features the Victoria Cross medal itself, a bronze cross pattée bearing the crown of Saint Edward surmounted by a lion, and the inscription “for valour”.
The other 50p represents the Heroic Acts carried out by those who received the award, with a soldier carrying a wounded comrade against a silhouette of the Victoria Cross medal.
The original 2006 issues of these coins entered circulation, however they were both re-issued in 2019 as part of the 50th Anniversary of the 50p Military History Collection.
Battle of Britain 50p
The Battle of Britain was an intense air battle fought mainly throughout the summer of 1940 between Germany and Britain. To commemorate 75 years since the great battle, The Royal Mint issued this 50p in 2015.
Designed by sculptor Gary Breeze, this coin quickly gained interest from collectors due to the three different obverses when it was initially minted. Find out more about that here >>
Like the VC 50ps, the Battle of Britain 50p was also re-issued in 2019 in the Military History 50p Collection.
Secure the Stories of the Second World War 50p
Add the 2025 UK Stories of the Second World War 50p to your collection >>
The D-Day 50p Face Value Giveaway
2024 marks 80 years since the historic event that turned the tide of the Second World War, forever remembered as D-Day. In commemoration, The Royal Mint has struck an official UK 50p.
This UK legal tender coin hasn’t entered circulation. However, we feel that a coin as momentous as this should be more widely available. Which is why we’re giving collectors the chance to get their hands on one for FACE-VALUE. That’s JUST 50p, POST FREE!
In fact, we have an incredible 7,000 D-Day 50ps up for grabs at this special face-value price…
So how can you get your hands on one?
Every time a new UK 50p is released, collectors on our Coin Launch Ballot list are given the opportunity to own the new issue for just 50p. Indeed, 1,000 Change Checkers are already lucky launch ballot winners able to secure this special offer.
1,000 further coins were available for the nation to own at face-value as in our National Ballot.
And, that’s not all, as we’re also taking this 50p with us to our upcoming live events, with an additional 5,000 coins available to swap!
5,000 D-Day 50ps Available to Swap at Change Checker Live!
We took 2,000 D-Day 50ps to Duxford Air Show on 1st and 2nd June to swap for just face value. You can watch the highlights from the show here >>
Make sure you’re following us across our social channels for details of our next event later in the year, where we’ll be swapping our final batch of D-Day 50ps at face-value!
An All-Time Favourite 50p
It’s been 30 years since the UK’s first D-Day 50p was released – struck to the larger specifications that can no longer be found in your change.
6.7 million of these were released into general circulation in 1994, but were removed when the new, smaller 50ps were issued in 1997.
However, this still proves to be a much-loved coin and was even voted as the all-time favourite 50p amongst Change Checkers.
As such, the new D-Day 50p promises to be highly sought-after collector coin.
Can’t wait to own the NEW D-Day 50p?
If you can’t wait to get your hands on the UK’s official D-Day 50p in superior collector quality, you can order yours for £8.99 here >>
UK 50p commemorates the 80th Anniversary of D-Day
2024 marks 80 years since the day that turned the tide of the Second World War, and in commemoration, a UK 50p has been released to honour the D-Day landings.
Add the 2024 UK Day-Day 50p to your collection >>
A momentous day
On 6th June 1944, 156,000 Allied troops arrived in Normandy by land, sea and air to launch their assault on Nazi-occupied France. Codenamed Operation Neptune but commonly referred to as D-Day, it was the largest seaborne invasion in history.
Image Credit: SHAEF [Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Forces] Public Relations Division., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
With this year marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day, these events will soon move beyond living memory, so it’s now more important than ever to commemorate this incredibly poignant day in history.
“We shall fight on the beaches”
The design of the 2024 D-Day 50p, created by renowned sculptor David Lawrence in collaboration with Imperial War Museums, depicts brave Allied troops risking their lives on that fateful day. In the foreground, soldiers disembark a landing craft onto the beaches whilst planes fly overhead approaching by air.
The landings took place at five assault beaches along a 50 mile stretch of the Normandy coast, they were given the codenames Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword – all of which are inscribed along the bottom of the design.
Recreated in sand
To celebrate the unveiling of the 2024 UK D-Day 50p, the coin’s design was recreated in the sand on Gold beach in Normandy. The sand art measured 35 metres across and took more than 5 hours to create!
Image credit: The Royal Mint
French sand artist Jehan-Benjamin Tarain worked with fellow artist Sam Dougados to create the piece. Tarain said that is was ‘extremely special’ to be part of a project that “plays an important reminder of the united allied effort between French and British forces 80 years ago”.
Previous UK D-Day coins
This isn’t the first time that D-Day has been commemorated on a UK coin…
Most recently, the 2019 D-Day £2 coin was issued to mark 75 years since the landings. It featured a design by renowned Royal Mint engraver, Stephen Taylor, showing 5 arrows, each pointing across the English Channel to one of the Normandy beaches. Although this coin didn’t enter circulation, it was extremely popular with collectors.
A £2 coin that did enter circulation is the 2005 60th Anniversary of the end of World War Two £2, which was issued to mark 60 years since Winston Churchill announced VE Day – marking the end of World War Two. The reverse design features a depiction of St Paul’s Cathedral which survived the Blitz to become a great symbol of hope to a war-torn nation. The edge inscription reads – IN VICTORY: MAGNANIMITY, IN PEACE: GOODWILL – part of the famous maxim that prefaces Churchill’s history of the Second World War.
The 1994 D-Day 50p was issued to mark the 50th anniversary of the Normandy Landings. This coin was originally issued in the larger 50p specification, meaning you’re no longer able to find it in your change. It was later re-issued in 2019 in the smaller 50p specification, however this version didn’t enter circulation.
Interestingly, the 1994 D-Day 50p was voted the all time favourite 50p coin by Change Checkers, so I’m sure the 2024 D-Day 50p will prove just as popular with collectors.
Secure the 2024 UK D-Day 50p
As this will likely be the last milestone anniversary of D-Day to be observed by those who served, it’s hugely important to commemorate this moment in history.
Add the 2024 UK D-Day 50p to your collection for just £8.99 (+p&p) >>