Victoria Cross (heroic acts) 50p (2006)

With a large circulation run behind it, the wounded soldier 50p trades at face value in circulated condition, and even a sharp coin from change carries no real premium. Anything more comes from collector strikes: uncirculated examples from the joint Victoria Cross pack, the coin cover or the 2006 annual sets, proofs from that year's proof set, and the precious-metal and piedfort versions made for the 2009 anniversary set of the 50p. The fifth-portrait coin dated 2019 exists only in brilliant uncirculated sets and has its own price.

With 10,000,500 struck for circulation, the Victoria Cross (heroic acts) 50p is the 69th rarest of the 81 ranked 50p designs and has the 146th 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 Jeremy Fisher 50p, with 9,900,000 struck, and the next more common is the Brexit 50p, with 10,001,000 struck.

The soldier 50p is the 2006 Victoria Cross design with figures on it: one soldier carrying another, in front of the outline of the cross and a burst of rays. FIFTY PENCE runs below, and the initials CD belong to the designer, Clive Duncan. The heads side shows the Queen's fourth portrait with 2006. The companion VC 50p pictures the medal, front and back. A 2019-dated version with the fifth portrait came only in collector sets and never circulated.

Known varieties of the Victoria Cross (heroic acts) 50p, all listed among the UK error coins and varieties:

• 2019 reissue: Struck again dated 2019 with the fifth portrait for the brilliant uncirculated 50 Years of the 50p sets. Not issued for circulation.
• 2009 anniversary set reissue: Struck again dated 2009, with Ian Rank-Broadley's portrait, for the 16-coin set issued in October 2009 to mark 40 years of the 50p, in cupro-nickel and as silver proof, gold proof and gold piedfort. Not issued for circulation.

For the 150th anniversary of the Victoria Cross in 2006, The Royal Mint issued a pair of 50ps. The other coin pictures the medal itself; this one, by Clive Duncan, pictures the courage the medal exists to reward. A soldier carries a wounded comrade, and behind the two men stands the outline of the cross, set against a sunburst. FIFTY PENCE sits below the scene, and Duncan's initials CD also appear on this side. The heads side carries Ian Rank-Broadley's fourth portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. The coin went into general circulation, and a brilliant uncirculated pack pairing it with the medal design went on sale on 20 May 2006. Both designs were also included in that year's brilliant uncirculated and proof coin sets.

In the Victoria Cross set it was issued in 2006 together with the Victoria Cross (medal) 50p.