15 August 2024
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A new 50p silver proof colour coin has been struck by The Royal Mint in commemoration of Team GB and Paralympics GB competing at the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Where can I buy the new Team GB and ParalympicGB 2024 50p?
The new Team GB and ParalympicsGB 50p can be purchased from The Royal Mint, with prices starting at £12.00 for a Brilliant Uncirculated Coin. Other items available include a Silver Proof Colour Coin and a Gold Proof Coin.
The Royal Mint has also produced coins commemorating Team GB’s participation in the Olympic Games that took place in London, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo. The 50p coin for the Paris Games is the first time both Team GB and ParalympicsGB have been celebrated on the same coin.
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About the Team GB and ParalympicsGB 2024 50p
The reverse design featured has been created by visual designer Charis Tsevis and features a mosaic of an athlete and para-athlete from Team GB and ParalympicsGB side by side, symbolising the united goal of sporting glory. The mosaic is on a background of the Union flag and also features a silhouette of the Eiffel Tower on the base to represent this year’s host city, Paris.
Above: The reverse of the coin features an athlete and para-athlete on the backdrop of the Union Flag
Charis Tsevis is primarily a digital designer and began this process with a rough sketch, which then transitioned to working on digitally. Although Tsevis had never designed a coin before, his experience in crafting icons for computer and mobile apps, particularly during the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s, provided valuable insight. When asked about his favourite design elements he said: ‘I am particularly pleased with the interplay of light across the different surfaces of the artwork.’
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Team GB athletes visit The Royal Mint
To celebrate the release of the new Olympic and Paralympic 50p, Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix, and Ruby Evans, from Team GB and Will Bayley and Fumi Oduwaiye from ParalympicsGB were invited to The Royal Mint in Llantrisant, South Wales, to strike some of the very first Olympic and Paralympic coins.
Every member of Team GB and ParalympicsGB will receive one of the new Olympic and Paralympic 50p’s as a good luck token before they make their way to Paris. Additionally, for every Team GB and ParalympicsGB 2024 UK coin sold, a percentage will be donated to the British Paralympic Association.
Above: Ruby Evans, Rebecca Morgan (directory of commemorative coin at The Royal Mint), Fumi Oduwaiye, Andrea Spendolini-Siriex and Will Bayley with the new Team GB and Paralympics GB 50p
During the visit, diver Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix said: ‘It is an honour in itself to be going to the Olympics, but to also have a coin coming with us is incredible. Seeing the process makes it even more special, knowing the work that foes into it and seeing it in real life is amazing.’
Will Bayley, ParalympicsGB athlete and six-time medal winner said: ‘I’m a proud Paralympic athlete, so to have us as a team represented on a coin makes me feel special. It was a real privilege to be able to strike my very own coin and something that I will remember for many years to come.’
Related article: Will the Team GB 2020 50p coin become a rarity?
A brief history of the Olympics in Paris
Both the Olympic and Paralympic Games have long been the pinnacle of sporting competition and provide the ultimate platform for athletes and para-athletes to go head-to-head with the very best. This year the Olympic Games will be held in Paris and will be the third time the Summer Olympic Games have been hosted in the city. This year will also mark the first time the Summer Paralympics has been hosted in Paris.
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At the Summer Games in Paris in 1900, Team GB took home 15 gold medals, including golds for athletics, sailing, tennis, cricket and football and clinched them 3rd place in the medal table. In 1924, Paris again hosted the Olympics and Team GB finished 4th in the medal table with a total of 35 medals.
A brief history of the Paralympic Games
Great Britain has a proud history as the birthplace of Paralympic sport, which began as the Stoke Mandeville Games in 1948. The Paralympics officially began in 1960 with the 9th instalment of the Stoke Mandeville Games and since then, it’s become one of the most significant sporting events in the world. The Paralympics offer an opportunity to shine a light on sport and disability and promote inclusion in professional sports for those with disabilities. This year the Paralympic Games take place from 28th August – 8th September.
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