The Representation of the People Act 1918 was a big step on the journey towards the voting rights citizens of the United Kingdom enjoy today. It gave the right to vote to all men over the age of 21, and any man 19 or older who had served in the armed forces. Most significantly, women received the right to vote for the first time in history. There were conditions; women had to be over 30 and ‘of property’ but even so it represented a dramatic shift in attitudes and paved the way for the Equal Franchise Act 1928, which finally gave all women over 21 the same voting rights as men.

The Representation of the People Act 1918 meant that a greater number and a broader mix of voices could now be heard at the polls. 100 years later, the Royal Mint marked the centenary of this historic Act with this UK circulating commemorative 50p coin. The coin’s design, created by Royal Mint graphic designer Stephen Taylor and inspired by posters of the period, brings to life the achievement of women, soldiers and middle-class men queuing to vote for the first time.

The British decimal fifty pence (50p) coin - often pronounced fifty pee - is a unit of currency equalling one half of a pound sterling. It is a seven-sided coin formed as an equilateral-curve heptagon, or Reuleaux polygon - a curve of constant width, meaning that the diameter is constant across any bisection. This shape, which was revolutionary at the time, made it easily distinguishable from round coins both by feel and by sight, while its constant breadth allowed it to roll in vending machines.

The denomination was introduced in October 1969 with a large version of the coin; it was reduced in size in 1997, with the older coins being demonetised in 1998. The design of the new (smaller) type remained unchanged at that time, retaining Christopher Ironside's Britannia reverse. In 2008 though the regular reverse was changed to Matthew Dent's design; in a world-first concept, the designs for the 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p and 50p coins depict sections of the Royal Shield that form the whole shield when placed together (the shield in its entirety being featured on the £1 coin, later discontinued).

The denomination has also been used extensively to issue one-year types of commemorative coins such as this one.

Twenty pence and fifty pence coins are legal tender only up to the sum of £10; this means that it is permissible to refuse payment of sums greater than this amount in 20p and 50p coins in order to settle a debt.

Coins issued in 2018 have now been in circulation for only three years.