United Kingdom (Great Britain) Elizabeth II 50 Pence

History

50 Pence 2011, KM# 1166, United Kingdom (Great Britain), Elizabeth II, London 2012 Summer Olympics, Aquatics

50 Pence 2011, KM# 1166, United Kingdom (Great Britain), Elizabeth II, London 2012 Summer Olympics, Aquatics, Error (on the left) and normal coins

Obverse. Photo © NumisCorner.com

Description

The 2012 Summer Olympics, formally the Games of the XXX Olympiad and commonly known as London 2012, took place in London and to a lesser extent across the United Kingdom from 25 July to 12 August 2012. During the Games, Michael Phelps became the most decorated Olympic athlete of all time, winning his 22nd medal. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Brunei entered female athletes for the first time, so that every currently eligible country has sent a female competitor to at least one Olympic Games. Women's boxing was included for the first time, thus the Games became the first at which every sport had female competitors. The final medal tally was led by the United States, followed by China and host Great Britain.

The original aquatic coin from the 2012 London Olympics showed water passing over the swimmer’s face. Only 600 of these were produced before the the design was changed to show a clear swimmer’s face. The value rocketed for the rare version. Watch out for normal reverse coins that have had extra lines scratched into them to be passed off as the error coin.

Obverse	Crown, jewelry Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara Person (king, queen, tsar etc.) Elizabeth II Fourth crowned portrait of HM Queen Elizabeth II facing right, wearing the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara. The Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara was a wedding present in 1947 from her grandmother, Queen Mary, who received it as a gift from the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland in 1893 on the occasion of her marriage to the Duke of York, later George V. Made by E. Wolfe & Co., it was purchased from Garrard & Co. by a committee organised by Lady Eve Greville. In 1914, Mary adapted the tiara to take 13 diamonds in place of the large oriental pearls surmounting the tiara. At first, Elizabeth wore the tiara without its base and pearls but the base was reattached in 1969. The Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara is one of Elizabeth's most recognisable pieces of jewellery due to its widespread use on British banknotes and coinage. ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA FIDEI DEFENSATRIX means Elizabeth II, by the grace of God, Queen and Defender of the Faith. Engraver: Ian Rank-Broadley ELIZABETH·II·D·G· REG F·D· 2011 IRB
Reverse	People (man, woman, child etc.) Athlete Sport, Olympics Swimming, Olympic emblem A swimmer submerged in water, with the London 2012 logo above and the denomination, "50 PENCE", below. Aquatics in the London 2012 Summer Olympics included diving, swimming, synchronized swimming and water polo. The London 2012 Summer Olympics logo is four abstract shapes placed in a quadrant formation spelling out "2012". The word "London" is written in the shape representing the "2", while the Olympic rings are placed in the shape representing the "0". Engraver: Jonathan Olliffe 2012 london 50 PENCE
Edge	Plain