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50p - The British Fifty Pence - Part 1, the large size

Started by UK Decimal +, December 07, 2009, 01:06:32 PM

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andyg

I never did find a 1992 Single Market 50p in change, nor have I ever met anyone who did. :o

UK Decimal +

Quote from: ***** on December 07, 2009, 10:54:56 PM
I never did find a 1992 Single Market 50p in change, nor have I ever met anyone who did. :o

Likewise, that's why I had to use a Proof for the illustration.   In fact, I have none from circulation from 1984 to 1997 (large), except for the 1994 D-Day issue, and there were very few Circulation standard coins struck during this period.   I wonder when the decision to reduce the size was made.

Bill.
Ilford, Essex, near London, England.

People look for problems and complain.   Engineers find solutions but people still complain.

SandyGuyUK

Quote from: Figleaf on December 07, 2009, 09:08:51 PM
At the time they were issued, there were rumours that the 1973 issue consisted of coins with equal sized hands and coins with a small hand at 3 o'clock. I don't hear this anymore. Was it a numismatic legend?

Peter
I always understood that the "small" hand was actually supposed to represent the Queen's hand.  (All of the other hands were supposed to represent the heads of states' hands of the other countries leaders)

Not sure if there was any truth in that of course!

Hertfordian
Ian
UK

MS

Quote from: UK Decimal + on December 07, 2009, 10:20:11 PM
1994  D-Day 50

Issued to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings.

Obverse by Raphael Maklouf
Reverse  "A design representing the Allied invasion force heading for Normandy and filling the sea and sky, together with the value "50 PENCE"."   Designed by John Mills.
Edge plain (equilateral curve heptagon)
Metal Cupro-nickel (75% copper, 25% nickel)
Diameter 30 mm
Weight 13.5 grams

1994  Circulation  6,705,520.  BU issued.  Proof issued.  Silver Proof issued.  Silver Proof Piedfort issued.  Gold Proof issued.

Demonetised 28 December 1998.

A Circulation issue is illustrated.

Bill.

I like this coin :) Sadly I don't ever remember seeing this coin in circulation during all my time in the UK. I wasn't collecting coins back then but I am sure I would have remembered this coin.

MS

If I read more carefully, I would have noticed that it was demonitised in 1998 :( a year earlier to my stint.

Any idea why the coin was demonitised within 4 years of issue. Is that usual for British coins? Or was that because all large size 50 pence were being demonitised?

Galapagos

Quote from: MS on December 08, 2009, 01:01:55 PM
Any idea why the coin was demonetised within 4 years of issue. ...Or was that because all large size 50 pence were being demonitised?

Exactly that! The larger 5p and 10p coins were also demonetised a few months after the appearance of the smaller versions.

UK Decimal +

For decimalisation (Sunday, 15 February 1971) a new range of coins was introduced, but they were phased in over a period.   First to appear were the 10p and 5p during 1968, as direct replacement for the 2/- (Florin) and 1/- (Shilling); the new coins were the same size of the ones that they replaced.   Next to appear was the 50p in 1969 as a replacement for the 10/- (Ten Shillings) note.   Finally came the 2p, 1p and ½p in 1971, followed by withdrawal of old denominations until only the 2/- and 1/- were in use alongside their decimal equivalents, the 10p and 5p.

The next stage was the withdrawal of the remaining 2/- and 1/- pre-decimal coins and at the same time the size of the 'silver' (actually cupro-nickel) coins was reduced, again in stages.

As someone who was actively involved in the changeover to decimal on 14/15 Feb 1971, in a local pub, perhaps I should write a topic about this and give all the relevant dates because the chageover went far more smoothly than expected.   It could also be said that the changeover took about thirty years to complete!

Bill.
Ilford, Essex, near London, England.

People look for problems and complain.   Engineers find solutions but people still complain.

UK Decimal +

Further to the above, I have started work on an article about decimalisation in the UK which will include details of the change to smaller coins.   It is good to see questions which suggest further articles - it's not something that I would have thought of writing about, but it is obviously of interest and should be recorded.

Bill.
Ilford, Essex, near London, England.

People look for problems and complain.   Engineers find solutions but people still complain.

Figleaf

In that case, this post (or maybe the whole thread) may make you smile.

Peter
An unidentified coin is a piece of metal. An identified coin is a piece of history.

UK Decimal +

Ilford, Essex, near London, England.

People look for problems and complain.   Engineers find solutions but people still complain.

tonyclayton

Quote from: UK Decimal + on December 08, 2009, 02:10:16 PM
The next stage was the withdrawal of the remaining 2/- and 1/- pre-decimal coins and at the same time the size of the 'silver' (actually cupro-nickel) coins was reduced, again in stages.


The old 1/- and 2/- coins were NOT actively withdrawn until their replacement by small versions of the 5p and 10p.
The reason they appeared to diminish in number is simply because as more 5p and 10p were minted the proportion of the older
pre-decimal coins in circulation diminished

tonyclayton

I have been inspired to update my web page on the 50p

http://www.ukcoinpics.co.uk/dec/50/index.html

I had to get this coin out of its plastic case to get a good scan

Figleaf

#27
I think you will like the picture even better if you tone down the blue a bit.

Peter
An unidentified coin is a piece of metal. An identified coin is a piece of history.

translateltd

Quote from: hertfordian on December 07, 2009, 11:12:41 PM
I always understood that the "small" hand was actually supposed to represent the Queen's hand.  (All of the other hands were supposed to represent the heads of states' hands of the other countries leaders)

Not sure if there was any truth in that of course!

Hertfordian

At the time they said the small hand represented Luxembourg.  I can't remember why, but that was the story.  Given that Denmark and the Netherlands also had female heads of state at the time, it would be odd to single out QEII as the small hand owner.

translateltd

Quote from: Figleaf on December 07, 2009, 09:08:51 PM
At the time they were issued, there were rumours that the 1973 issue consisted of coins with equal sized hands and coins with a small hand at 3 o'clock. I don't hear this anymore. Was it a numismatic legend?

Peter

Never heard of any with a full set of matching hands.  Most likely legend, until someone actually comes up with a genuine example :-)