Obverse. Photo © Royal Mint
  • 50 Pence 2024, United Kingdom (Great Britain), Charles III, 40th Anniversary of the Star Wars, X-Wing
  • 50 Pence 2024, United Kingdom (Great Britain), Charles III, 40th Anniversary of the Star Wars, X-Wing
  • 50 Pence 2024, United Kingdom (Great Britain), Charles III, 40th Anniversary of the Star Wars, X-Wing, Acrylic block
Description

The Star Wars™ franchise has made its way onto UK coins with bespoke ranges inspired by some of the most legendary characters and iconic vehicles in the galaxy.

Created by George Lucas, Star Wars started with the 1977 film and quickly became a global pop culture phenomenon. It has expanded into various media forms, including films, TV series, video games, novels, and theme park attractions, building a vast fictional universe. Star Wars is one of the highest-grossing media franchises ever.

In relation to the Star Wars project, production was moved to England's Elstree Studios to save costs. Many scenes were shot in England, featuring British actors, including those who played C-3PO and R2-D2. The actual Star Wars robots were constructed by the English company Peteric Engineering. The United Kingdom played a crucial role in creating the film's special effects, earning recognition for their originality and creativity.

All nine films of the "Skywalker Saga" received Academy Award nominations, with the first two winning awards. When combined with the anthology films Rogue One and Solo, the franchise's total box office revenue surpassed $10 billion, making it the second highest-grossing film franchise of all time.

Obverse

Depicts King Charles III’s effigy, surrounded by the Latin inscription. Engraver's initials on the neck.

CHARLES III DEI GRATIA REX FIDEI DEFENSOR means King Charles III, by the Grace of God King, Defender of the Faith.

Engraver: Martin Jennings (MJ)

• CHARLES III•D•G•REX•F•D•50 PENCE•2024
MJ

Reverse

Depicts the X-wing in flight with its iconic S-foils open to create the unmistakable saltire alignment, with a lenticular feature displaying Rebel Alliance’s crest and the X-wing’s distinctive outline above and the iconic STAR WARS logo below.

The X-wing starfighter, manufactured by the Incom Corporation and later Incom-FreiTek Corporation, is a renowned family of spacecraft from the Star Wars franchise. Known for their distinctive S-foils that form an "X" shape in attack position, these starfighters were heavily armed with four laser cannons and proton torpedo launchers. Initially used by the Rebel Alliance during the Galactic Civil War, models like the T-65B and T-65C-A2 played crucial roles in battles such as the Battle of Yavin and the Battle of Endor. The T-65B model famously appeared in the original Star Wars film (1977) piloted by Luke Skywalker during the Death Star's destruction.

Approximately thirty years later, the Resistance utilized the upgraded T-70 X-wing in their struggle against the First Order, as depicted in The Force Awakens (2015). The T-70 was considered an improvement over the original T-65, yet was seen as outdated compared to the T-85 model used by the New Republic Defense Fleet. The T-85 X-wing made its first appearance in the TV series Star Wars Resistance (2018), highlighting its advanced capabilities over previous iterations.

Design: Lucasfilm Ltd.

STAR
WARS™
© & ™ Lucasfilm Ltd.

Edge
Characteristics
Type Commemorative Issue (Non-circulating)
Material Silver
Fineness 0.925
Weight 8 g
Diameter 27.3 mm
Thickness -
Shape polygon
Sides 7
Alignment Medal
Mint
Royal Mint

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