Coin will arrive in circulated condition

About This Design
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Christopher Ironside, designer of the UK’s first decimal coins, this 50p featured his Royal Arms design which was the runner-up to the winning design of Britannia for the first 50p in 1969. With this coin, The Royal Arms design appeared in public for the first time some 44 years after its creation.

Ironside’s familiar design of Britannia was adopted for the 50p at the time of decimalisation, but among the other designs that he submitted was a version of the Royal Arms. This was liked so much by members of The Royal Mint Advisory Committee that trial pieces of the design were made and the hope was expressed that a use might be found for it. Its appearance in 2013 was, therefore, a fitting tribute to a great numismatic artist.

The design in its original form used the designation NEW PENCE but this would have been inappropriate for 2013 and the value was amended to FIFTY PENCE.

Specifications
Issued 2013
Diameter 27.30mm
Weight 8.00g
Thickness 1.78mm
Composition Cupro-nickel
(75% copper, 25% nickel)
Obverse Designer Portrait of Her Majesty the Queen 2013 – Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS
Reverse Designer Christopher Ironside
Edge Plain
Mintage 7,000,000*