The Royal Mint has unveiled a new 50p coin to commemorate BBC’s 100-year anniversary, with the heads side still depicting a portrait of Queen Elizabeth despite King Charles III’s effigy having already been unveiled and it is expected to be in high demand among collectors. The official maker of UK coins, The Royal Mint said the coins will feature the late Queen as they were produced before her death in September and will not be re-struck, in order to “minimise waste or unnecessary environmental impact”. In addition, the inclusion of a portrait of the Queen on the coins is anticipated to generate "great demand" among collectors while the inscription "inform, educate, and entertain" can also be found on the flip side of the coin. These are the goals that Lord Reith had in mind when he established the BBC back in 1922. Rebecca Morgan, The Royal Mint’s director of collector services, said the company was “delighted” to work with the BCC “to create a special 50p” to mark 100 years of the organisation. She said: “An ever-present British institution for most people’s lives, the BBC has had a marked influence on our culture and broadcast some of the most extraordinary moments in British history.” On October 18, 1922, a group of renowned wireless makers, one of which was Marconi, established what would later become known as the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), and on November 14, 1922, they began transmitting daily programming. Tim Davie, director-general of the BBC, stated that the broadcaster was "honoured" by the commemorative coin, and he added that the design of the piece "perfectly captures the BBC’s huge reach and impact." Collectors who have been eagerly awaiting its debut may now purchase the 50p coin from The Royal Mint’s website for the price of £11 per piece. The coin’s release came following the issue of new coins with King Charles’ face in late September that include a 50p coin with his likeness and a commemorative £5 coin with an image of the King by British sculptor Martin Jenings. The coins were sold to collectors by The Royal Mint in early October and the 50p coin will be available for general use well before the end of the year, distributed to demand by banks, building societies and post offices. The new coins will co-circulate with coins featuring the late Queen, so those 27 billion coins will still be accepted in shops. DISCLAIMER: This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.
