In 1967 the Deputy Master of the Royal Mint approached the Decimal Currency Board to ask for their advice on the introduction of a new coin. įifty pence coins are legal tender for amounts up to the sum of £10 when offered in repayment of a debt however, the coin's legal tender status is not normally relevant for everyday transactions.
The coin has proved popular with coin collectors leading to numerous differing designs for both commemorative and circulating coins. As of October 2022, five different royal portraits have been used.Īs of March 2013 there were an estimated 920 million 50p coins in circulation. Its obverse features the profile of the current Monarch since the coin's introduction in 1969. The British decimal fifty pence coin (often shortened to 50p in writing and speech) is a denomination of sterling coinage worth 1⁄ 2 of one pound.
