06 June 2019
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50p coins featuring the anniversaries of the Battle of Britain, D-Day landings, Victoria Cross and Battle of Hastings all feature in a special anniversary Proof and Brilliant Uncirculated set from The Royal Mint.
To celebrate fifty years of the 50p, The Royal Mint has unveiled a special collection of commemorative military coins that will be struck to mark the anniversary of the introduction of the 50p in 1969.
Spanning almost one thousand years of history, the military set includes five 50p coins marking the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, 50 years since the D-Day Landings, the 950th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings and 150 years since the Victoria Cross was introduced.
75th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain:
For three months during 1940, RAF planes duelled with Goering’s Luftwaffe in the skies above
Britain. Aided by the world’s best radar network, unrivalled Spitfire fighter planes, and squadrons supplemented by Eastern European airmen, Britain held out. Without aerial supremacy, Hitler was unable to launch Operation Sea Lion – his planned seaborne invasion. Handing Germany its first defeat would prove crucial in determining the outcome of the Second World War.
50th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings: To mark the 50th anniversary since the D-Day Landings, The Royal Mint released this design commemorating the largest amphibious assault in military history. Storming five Normandy beaches, Britain was able to gain a foothold on mainland Europe, a second front that would take the war to Germany. From the men who conceived it, to the unflinching bravery of those who took part, the legacy of D-Day lives on in the freedoms we enjoy today.
150th Anniversary of the Victoria Cross: Introduced in 1856 thanks to the support of Queen Victoria’s husband Prince Albert, the Victoria Cross is the highest award for gallantry that British servicemen and servicewomen can receive. The design of this coin depicts the medal that is still awarded to this day in recognition of acts of extraordinary bravery.
150th Anniversary of the Victoria Cross (Heroic Acts): Before the Crimean War only senior officers could be awarded medals for bravery. With war correspondents working in the field for the first time, a movement to recognise the valour of the common soldier gathered momentum. Since its inception in 1856, more than 1,300 Victoria Crosses have been awarded for outstanding acts of heroism, testament to the extreme bravery of Armed Forces personnel who risk life and limb in defence of Britain’s interests.
950th Anniversary of the Battle of Hastings: This 50 pence piece was unveiled in 2016 to mark 950 years since one of the most infamous battles in British history. The death of Edward the Confessor plunged Britain into chaos as rival heirs came forward with their claim to the throne. Famously documented on the Bayeux Tapestry, Anglo-Saxon and Norman forces clashed at the Battle of Hastings, where an arrow to the eye sealed King Harold’s fate.
The commemorative set will be available to purchase from The Royal Mint in a range of precious metal, base proof and brilliant uncirculated finishes, prices start from £45.
QUICK LINK: How much are Beatrix Potter 50p coins worth?
(images copyright The Royal Mint)
