Four years ago today, the Royal Mint confirmed that a 50p coin celebrating Her Late Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee was to be released into circulation.
The 50p featured a commemorative design on the ‘tails’ side of the coin and was featured in celebration of the 70th anniversary of the late Queen Elizabeth II's accession to the throne in 1952.
The Royal Mint revealed that they had already started to strike the coins at their highly secure site in South Wales, with a pressure of around 60 tonnes striking up to 850 coins a minute.
This was the first time that a Royal event had been celebrated on a 50p, with a design that was personally approved by the late Queen.
Designed by artists Osborne Ross, the coin featured the number 70 with the Royal Cypher and the dates of Her Majesty’s reign framed inside the zero.
On the opposite side is the fifth definitive portrait of the late Queen, by Jody Clark, which appears on all circulating UK coins.
The Royal Mint’s Director of UK Currency Mark Loveridge said at the time: “Coins tell the story of our nation and we are delighted to be working with the Post Office to mark this special Royal occasion.
"By issuing the Platinum Jubilee coin into circulation it ensures that this significant moment in history can be cherished for generations to come.
“This special 50 pence features an elegant and bold number 70 in celebration of Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee year, and we expect it to become one of the nation’s most collectable coins.
"We are delighted that 1.3 million coins baring this unique design will be accessible at Post Offices across the UK.”
The maximum coin mintage was set at 5,000,070 coins – in a special nod to 70 years on the throne.
Nick Read, chief executive at the Post Office, said: "Postmasters are at the heart of their local communities and have been throughout our 360-year history.
"I have no doubt that this will be a real honour and privilege for Postmasters and their teams.”
This story was first reported on by Lois Mackenzie on January 21, 2022.
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