• A collectable 50p coin celebrating “100 Years of Our BBC” has been unveiled by The Royal Mint
• The coin bears Her Late Majesty The Queen’s effigy on the obverse (heads) side of the coin due to striking prior to the passing of Queen Elizabeth
• In celebration of the launch, the coin has been photographed alongside the AXBT Microphone at BBC Broadcasting House in London and is available in gold, silver and brilliant uncirculated at The Royal Mint

The Royal Mint has unveiled the design of a collectable 50p in celebration of 100 Years of Our BBC, in partnership with the world-renowned British broadcaster during its centenary year.

The coin is the first to be released by The Royal Mint since the passing of her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth and will still bear her effigy on the obverse (heads) side of the coin.  The 1,100-year-old company last month unveiled the official UK effigy of King Charles III, but the 100 Years of BBC coin will feature the existing effigy people will be familiar with, in the interest of sustainability. The Royal Mint has purposefully decided not to re-strike coins that had already been produced with her Late Majesty’s effigy, to minimise waste or unnecessary environmental impact.

Since its inception in Britain in 1922, the BBC has reached audiences all over the world with its original public service mission to inform, educate and entertain. The new collectable 50p design by artist Henry Gray pays tribute to the BBC’s global reach, with the depiction of the earth at the heart of the design.

In recognition of its long-standing remit and 100-year milestone celebration, the inscriptions “Inform, educate, entertain”, “100 Years of Our BBC” and “1922 – 2022” appear to emanate from a broadcasting mast emerging from the earth, slightly tilted on its axis. 

The design has been brought to life with the best British craftsmanship at The Royal Mint, using handcrafting and laser-cutting techniques to create contrasting textures of frosting against a mirror-like table on the surface of the 50p.

Rebecca Morgan, The Royal Mint’s Director of Collector Services, said: “Like The Royal Mint, the BBC is an original British maker who has put innovation at the forefront of its evolution. Coins are miniature pieces of art which tell the stories of our nation and we are delighted to be working with Britain’s leading national broadcaster to create a special 50p in recognition of their 100 Years.

“An ever-present British institution for most people’s lives, the BBC has had a marked influence on our culture and broadcast some of the most extraordinary moments in British history. On the reverse side, the commemorative design honours BBC’s world-wide influence with a depiction of the earth which has been frosted combining traditional craftsmanship and state-of-the-art technology to create contrasting textures.

“With the obverse side of the coin featuring the effigy of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth, we do anticipate a high demand for these coins from collectors.”

In celebration of the launch, the coin was photographed alongside the AXBT Microphone which features in collection of “100 Objects that made the BBC” at Broadcasting House in London.

BBC Director-General Tim Davie said: “The BBC is honoured that The Royal Mint are marking our centenary with this special 50p coin. Its design perfectly captures the BBC’s huge reach and impact over 100 years as the world’s leading public service broadcaster.”

Made at the home of precious metals, the collectable coins are minted to the highest standard in gold, silver and brilliant uncirculated and are available from £11 at The Royal Mint website.

ENDS

 

About The Royal Mint

With a history spanning more than 1,100 years, The Royal Mint is one of Britain’s oldest companies and the original maker of UK coins.  Today, The Royal Mint is a premium British maker, providing carefully crafted coins and precious metal products for the UK and overseas.  Based in Llantrisant, South Wales it has three main focuses as a business: Currency, Consumer (collectable and rare, historic coins) and precious metals investment.

Collecting with The Royal Mint:

Every coin tells a story, from a rare gold Sovereign to a Peter Rabbit™ 50p coin. The Royal Mint aims to inspire collectors young and old and nurture a love of collecting through unique designs and popular themes. As the maker of UK coinage, we have unparalleled knowledge about coins, from the historic coins of our past, through to the collectable commemorative coins of today.  Sourcing and authenticating pre-decimal coins are a natural fit for The Royal Mint as we struck each one.

Investing with The Royal Mint:

As a world authority on precious metals, The Royal Mint has traded and made products in gold and silver for centuries. Since launching its designated precious metals investment arm six years ago, The Royal Mint has grown rapidly to become the home of gold in the UK – increasing its market share and becoming the largest producer of bullion coins in Britain. As well as offering physical precious metal investment options in the form of bars and coins, The Royal Mint also offers a range of digital investment options including DigiGold, Little Treasures, designed for children, and Gold for Pensions

Celebrating with The Royal Mint:

For over a thousand years The Royal Mint has marked the moments that changed the world on coins - from coronations to conflict, from commemorations to celebrations. The designs are captured on commemorative coins, minted in a range of metals.  Commemorative coins do not always enter circulation but give collectors the chance to purchase coins to keep and cherish.  Recent themes have included David Bowie, Winnie the Pooh, Decimalisation and Team GB. Each commemorative coin is carefully struck up to three times in order to create a superbly detailed finish and ensuring each one meets the standards The Royal Mint is famous for. 

The Royal Mint Experience

The Royal Mint opened its popular visitor centre, The Royal Mint Experience, at its home in Llantrisant, South Wales in 2016. The award-winning attraction welcomes around 200,000 visitors a year and is the place to explore the 1,100-year history of coins.

Images

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