2012 coins go into circulation
New 50 pence coins to commemorate the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games have been launched.
New 50 pence coins to commemorate the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games have been launched.
The coins each feature one of 29 sports on the reverse and have been designed by people from England and Wales.
They were picked from nearly 30,000 entries in a Royal Mint public competition.
The designers range from a Manchester policeman and a delivery driver from Reading to a crop advisor from Yorkshire and a bank clerk from Preston.
Nine-year-old Florence Jackson from Bristol is the first child to design a Royal Mint UK coin. She won a Blue Peter competition, beating more than 17,000 other entries.
The 50 pence pieces feature well-known sports such as sailing, swimming and basketball, but also lesser-known disciplines including handball and the Paralympic sport boccia.
The Royal Mint said that 87 million of the 29 special 50p coins would come into circulation over 2010 and 2011, commemorative sets of the special 50p coins will also be available.