Falkland Islands 1980 50 pence - design development

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Royal Mint memo, 5-OCT-1979.

In late 1979, representatives of the Falkland Islands asked the Royal Mint (UK) to produce a 50 pence coin for the territory, since at that time the 10 pence was the highest denomination of the Falklands circulation coinage. The Falklands' representatives requested a design of the extinct Falkland wolf.

From Wikipedia:

The Falkland Islands wolf (Dusicyon australis), also known as the warrah and occasionally as the Falkland Islands dog, Falkland Islands fox or Antarctic wolf, was the only native land mammal of the Falkland Islands. It became extinct in 1876. An analysis of its DNA in 2009 identified the Falkland Island wolf's closest living relative as the maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus)—an unusually long-legged, fox-like South American canid, from which it separated about 6.7 million years ago.


You can see the maned wolf on a Brazilian coin here.

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Royal Mint artist and sculptor Robert Elderton started work on the design.

Here is his beautiful first sketch.

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Eric Sewell was a Royal Mint engraver who would later design the reverse of the UK's first round pound.

He was worried about the position of the animal's nose on the eventual coin.

It would appear in the same spot as the Queen's eyebrow on the obverse, directly beneath it.

This could cause problems in production with the relief of these details when the coins were struck.

Mr Sewell decided that it would be better to reverse the design of the animal

This would avoid any such problem.

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Robert Elderton duly obliged.

He produced a reversed version of his original sketch.

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The Falkland Islands' authorities were pleased with the result.

In December 1979 it received royal approval.

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The new coin was issued in 1980.

For me, it is a classic design.

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See also: Extinct animals (not dinosaurs).

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Two years later the Falkland Islands requested a 20 pence coin featuring a sheep.

Once more, Robert Elderton was asked to produce the design.

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This time, Mr Elderton produced only one version of the design, seen here.

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The coin was issued in 1982.

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I'll need to do some research when I get back home, but Mr. Sewell's argument seems to explain why the Dutch mint decided to strike the last series of coins for queen Juliana with a 90° die rotation. I must also do some thinking to understand why two high points opposite each other would put xtra pressure on the dies on those points. Thank you for the insight.

Peter