Brexit 50p (2020)

The 2020 coin was put into circulation in very large numbers, so a circulated example trades at face value however clean it is. Brilliant uncirculated packs, sold from launch day, sit above that, and the silver and gold editions are collector pieces valued separately. The pieces collectors chase are the trial coins with the earlier dates, which rarely come to market because nearly the whole of each run was melted before release.

With 10,001,000 struck for circulation, the Brexit 50p is the 70th rarest of the 81 ranked 50p designs and has the 147th lowest mintage of all 194 circulating UK designs. That puts it in the Common band, for mintages 10,000,000 or more.

The next rarer 50p is the Victoria Cross (heroic acts) 50p, with 10,000,500 struck, and the next more common is the Diversity Built Britain 50p, with 10,300,000 struck.

A 50p with six lines of calligraphic script and no picture on the tails side is the Brexit coin. Read the words Peace, Prosperity and Friendship with all nations, then check the date below them: 31 January 2020 is the only version that was issued. Coins dated 31 March 2019 or 31 October 2019 were struck before the leaving date changed and almost all were melted down, so they are not found in change.

Known varieties of the Brexit 50p, all listed among the UK error coins and varieties:

• 31 March 2019 trial: About 1,000 were struck with the original leaving date and melted down; only about 10 survive.
• 31 October 2019 trial: About 1,000,000 struck with the second leaving date; almost all were melted down.

After the referendum of 23 June 2016 and the triggering of Article 50 on 29 March 2017, the date of the UK's departure from the European Union moved more than once, and the coin marking it moved with it. Coins dated 31 March 2019, the original leaving date, were struck and then melted down when that date passed, and a much larger batch dated 31 October 2019 met the same fate. When the UK finally left on 31 January 2020, the design was struck again with that date and entered circulation on the day. It is lettering only: the words Peace, Prosperity and Friendship with all nations in six lines of calligraphic script across the centre, with 31 January 2020 beneath. The Royal Mint credits the design to its engraving team. There is no value on this side; 50 PENCE sits on the heads side with Jody Clark's fifth portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. The coin was also sold in brilliant uncirculated packs from launch day, and in silver proof, silver piedfort and gold editions.