The Royal Mint today released a 50p coin celebrating the 50thanniversary of Pride UK into circulation via post offices across the UK.
The Pride 50p will become the last design to enter general circulation featuring the portrait of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse (heads side) of the coin. The first coins bearing the portrait of His Majesty King Charles III will enter circulation later this year.
In total, five million coins celebrating the 50th anniversary of Pride UK will enter circulation, and were made by The Royal Mint prior to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. To ensure the transition to the coinage of King Charles III is conducted with minimal waste and environmental impact, The Royal Mint has continued to issue coins struck with the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II.
Designed by LGBTQ+ artist and activist Dominique Holmes, the 50 Years of Pride UK 50p design was unveiled to mark the milestone anniversary earlier this year and features a rainbow design with Pride in London’s values of Protest, Visibility, Unity, and Equality on the ‘tails’ side of the coin.
The first LGBTQ+ celebration coin will be accessible to people across the UK via 2,000 branches. Among the first to get their hands on the coins are postmasters Daniel Cooper and Nathan Jones from New Longton Post Office, near Preston. The couple are delighted to help issue the coins from the branch, after hundreds in the community rallied against criticism for flying the rainbow flag at the post office during LGBTQ+ Pride Month.
Daniel Cooper said: “50 Years of Pride UK and the combined support of the LGBTQ+ community and allies shows how far we have come as a nation, but there is always more we can do to break down barriers. The Royal Mint’s 50p coin is a tangible display of Pride’s values and it is a privilege to be among the first postmasters to release this coin into circulation ensuring such an important piece of British history lives on in the pockets, purses, and cash tills of our communities. It is a special pleasure, for Nathan and I, to be issuing these in our own town where we know first-hand what the celebration of Pride UK means for the community.”
The Royal Mint’s Managing Director, Currency, Andrew Mills said: “Coins tell the story of our nation, and we are thrilled to be working with the Post Office to ensure five million special 50ps celebrating the 50th anniversary of UK Pride reach the hands of the people across the UK in the coming weeks. Made for the 2022 anniversary, the coins feature the effigy of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth and are expected to be in high demand.
“This is the first time the LGBTQ+ community has been celebrated on UK coin and reflects The Royal Mint’s commitment to celebrating a diverse and inclusive Britain. We hope the Pride values minted on the coins honour the communities they represent, as well as proving popular with LGBTQ+ allies and coin collectors up and down the country for generations.”
As part of The Royal Mint’s commitment to reflecting a diverse and modern Britain across its products – A ‘Diversity Built Britain’ 50p coin entered circulation in 2020 and The Royal Mint recently celebrated a Diwali-inspired series of gold bars at the Shree Swaminarayan Mandir in Oldham.
