Elizabeth II 2nd portrait

Description

This is the 1981 Circulation issue with a mintage of 74,002,000. This reverse design by Christopher Ironside, together with the Arnold Machin second portrait of Her Majesty on the obverse, was first issued in 1969 to replace the 10-shilling banknote as part of the decimalisation process.  Due to the vast quantity required for the decimal changeover and the fact that the Mint was moving from Tower Hill, London to Llantrisant, Wales the coins were minted at both mints, however no coins were minted at Llantrisant until 1973 with production having ended at Tower Hill. In the years 1971, 1972, 1974 & 1975 the coin was only available in Annual Proof sets. There was not a strike issued in 1973 as a commemorative 50p was issued instead to celebrate the UK joining the European Economic Community. Finally, in 1982, 11 years after Decimalisation Day on 15th February 1971, the word 'NEW' was removed from the denomination on the reverse.The design was re-issued with Ian Rank-Broadley fourth portrait obverse in 2009 with the original 'New Pence' legend as part of the 16-piece set to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the 50 pence denomination. Again in 2019 the design was re-issued and featured Jody Clark's fifth obverse portrait and formed part of the 5-coin British Culture Set celebrating 50 years of the 50p.Christopher Ironside designed all six new denominations for decimalisation for which he was awarded the OBE in 1971.