Victoria Cross (medal) 50p (2006)

The Victoria Cross medal 50p was struck in large numbers for circulation, so a coin from change is worth face value whatever its condition. Extra value comes only from collector versions: brilliant uncirculated coins from the 2006 twin pack, coin cover and annual sets, and proofs from the 2006 proof set. The design was struck again for the 2009 set marking 40 years of the 50p, including silver proof, gold proof and piedfort versions, and those, like the 2019 fifth-portrait reissue, are priced as separate items.

With 12,087,000 struck for circulation, the Victoria Cross (medal) 50p is the 73rd rarest of the 81 ranked 50p designs and has the 151st 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 Public Libraries 50p, with 11,263,000 struck, and the next more common is the Johnson's Dictionary 50p, with 17,649,000 struck.

The VC 50p shows two crosses side by side rather than a scene: a larger front view on the left and a smaller back view carrying the date 29 JAN on the right. The letters VC and the words FIFTY PENCE sit towards the lower right. The companion 2006 coin has a rescue scene with two soldiers instead. The heads side has the Queen's fourth portrait and 2006. A version dated 2019, with the fifth portrait, was sold only in collector sets.

Known varieties of the Victoria Cross (medal) 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.

Queen Victoria instituted the Victoria Cross by Royal Warrant on 29 January, a century and a half before this coin appeared. Before the Crimean War Britain had no standard gallantry award, and the honours that existed went mostly to senior officers; the new medal recognised valour in the presence of the enemy by servicemen of any rank. The Royal Mint marked the anniversary in 2006 with two 50p coins, one showing the medal and one showing the kind of deed it rewards. Claire Aldridge designed the medal coin. Off-centre to the left she placed the front of the cross with its laurelled ribbon: a cross pattee bearing the crown of Saint Edward topped by a lion, with the words FOR VALOUR. To its right is a slightly smaller view of the back, plain except for the date of the warrant in the centre. The letters VC sit to the right, FIFTY PENCE runs beneath both medals, and the initials CHA also appear on this side. The obverse shows Ian Rank-Broadley's portrait of Queen Elizabeth II.

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