FIFTY PENCE VARIETIES

By Bill Exley

Our first 50 pence coin was large and ungainly at 13-5gms and 30mm diam , entering circulation Oct / 1969, up to 1998 when it ceased to be legal tender. A Thin version was then minted in Oct. 1997, at 8-0gms with a diam of 27-3mm. For Rarity value it is quite widely accepted that the 2009 Kew Gardens 50p is hard to find . It shows a square shaped Pagoda entwined by a Vine,it consists of 75% Copper and 25% Nickel ( Cupro-Nickel ) with other strengthening agents, Iron and Manganese. The low mintage fig of only 210,000 strck, stamps it's rarity value to collectors, compared to the 1980 issue of 89,086,000 coins issued for that year.

There are 4 rarities to look out for, due to a low mintage figure or an unusual Rev design. The 1984, low mintage of 158,000, // . 1992/93 - 'dual date - unusual and only 109,000 minted , // . the 2015 Battle of Britain, No 50 pence, (value, denomination) on either side // . The popular 2009 Kew Gardens, only 210,000 issued. The 2009 and 2015 are a Thin version of 8gms, the other two, the earlier Thick version of 13.5gms.

• Terminology - Common terms used by Coin collectors/ Numismatists are, the Obverse or Reverse sides, ( Obv or Rev ). The rule is the Obv side shows the Head of the Monarch, or in the case of Guernsey, Ch.Isles. the Guernsey Crest / Arms. The reverse side (Rev) usually shows Britannia, seated, the third and fourth quarterings of the Royal Arms, or any commerative design. The actual word Britannia or Britannica, were terms used by the Romans for Britain, appearing as a Rev image on our earliest copper coins as far back as the reign of Charles 2nd ,. 1660 - 1685.

The introduction of the first 50 Pence coin in I969 was the first stage of a gradual change over to a Metric monetary system for the UK. Itwas a massive change for the older generation to cope with at this time. It replaced our old monetary system of Pounds, Shillings and Pence wth 240 Pence to the Pound, the 10 shilling note Slang / Ten Bob note, (now a 50 pence) and equiv. to 120 old pennies. England went fully Decimal on the 15th Feb 1971. - On 14/2/71 , 12 Pennies = 1 Shilling (Slang / a Bob) , 20 Shillings = £1 (Slang/ a Quid) or 240 old pennies to the Pound.

• Bygones - Prior to Decimalisation - - 6 pennies = a Six'pnnce, Slang / a tanner in 'old- money'. was in circulation from 1551 in Fine Silver up to 1947, changing to Cupro Nickel until 1980 when it ceased to be legal tender. Also three-penny bits (Brass), and the 'Florins' a nice looking Two-Shilling coin. We even had Fine Silver Thruppenny - Bits up to 1945, these were put in the making of Christmas Puddings, to find as a 'Treat' . The latter was a Northern tradition, I don't know about the Southern Counties.
• Victorian times - We even had a 'Double Florin' coin, or four shilling piece, equiv to a 20p today, but minted for 4 years only, 1887 to 1890 and struck in Fine Silver. They even had a Nick - Name, / Bar-Maid's grief as they were so similar to a Crown (five shillings) also in Fine Silver. To finish my trip down Nostalgia lane for my American and foreign readers , there were 4 Crowns to our old pound, now 25 pence, since decimalisation, then the ornate 'Half a Crown' worth Two Shillings & Six pence, (12 and half pence now)

My listing below is not Purporting to be a Definitive listing of 'all' Fifty Pences, but only the English varieties I know of, own or read about, from reliable sources. I have only kept to the English 50 pences and not included the many ornate Guernsey, Jersey and I.O.M series. - [26/2/2020 - bex]

• Caution - Please note * . * Coins should NEVER be cleaned / polished , as a New 50p shows NO signs of wear, scuffs or scratches. All fine detail of the Hair and Crown should be evident, with use these details are lost. Whist there is obviously no law against it, cleaning a coin makes it near worthless to a collector. A Proof coin will always look like a Mirror, if it is kept / stored correctly and Never handled * . *

O * O * O

My Unique coding list applies	L - 50 & a 'p' - Pence	Easy location of any 50p coin
Ref - Roman - V = 5, X = 10, L = 50, C = 100 and M = 1,000	Century - 100yrs, a Centurion was an Elite soldier with 100 fighters, a Millenium for a 1,000 years	V / Sept / MMXX or 05/09/2020
		All mintages below
1969 - Lp1 / bex..	Rev - Britannia ,our 1st 50 Pence at 13-5 gms, and diam of 30-5 mm. - Oct 1969. Other decimals struck in 1968	m 188,400,000
1970 - Lp2 / bex	Rev - Britannia, the heavy version , now legal up to and incl. 1997	m 19,461,000
1971 - Lp3 / bex	First Proof 50p coin, so Not for circulation The U.K. is now Fully Decimal from - 15/02/71	m 350,000
1972 - Lp4 / bex	50p Only found in a Proof set of 7 coins, with a Crown, (25 Pence)	m - nknown
1973 - Lp5 / bex..	Rev shows a circle of 9 hands marking our joining the E.E.C..& 8 partners - our First Comm. 50p	m 89,775,000 Proof - m 107,807
1974 - Lp 6 / bex	The 50p is only found in a Proof set	m 150,000
1976 - Lp 7 / bex..	Rev shows 'New Pence' above Britannia and 50 below. Also in Proof sets	m 43,746,500 Proof - m 100,000
Definition of Terms used -	Obverse / Obv or Reverse / Rev sides. A Roman L / 50 and p / Pence. So - e.g. Lp14, Lp128 etc	The Obv side shows the Monarch's Head, Rev is the other side.
1977 - Lp8 / bex	Rev - Britannia	m 49,536,000
1978 - Lp9 / bex	Rev - Britannia	m 72,005,000
1979 - Lp10 / bex..	Rev - Britannia, still a large coin , the novelty of New Pence is dropped in 1982	m 58,680,000
1980 - Lp11 / bex..	Rev - Britannia	m 89,086,000
1981 - Lp12 / bex..	Rev - Britannia	m 89,086,000
1982 - Lp13 / bex..	Rev - Britannia , also found in Royal Mint Proof and the first B Unc sets .	m 51,312,000 B unc set - m 205,000 Proof - m 106,800
1983 - Lp14 / bex..	Rev - shows Fifty Pence replacing New Pence	m 62,825,000
1984 - Lp15 / bex..	Rev - Britannia / Only found in Royal Mint 'year type' sets supplied 'then' by large G.P.O's , this idea was later dropped	m 158,820 /- Low
1985 - Lp16 / bex ..	Rev - Britannia	m 682,100
Terms used, -	Obv or Rev side - See 1976 data
1986 - Lp17 / bex..	50p, Only found in the 8 coin Proof Set	m 104,597
1987 - Lp18 / bex ..	50p, Only found in the Proof Set of 7 coins	m 88,659
1990 - Lp19 / bex	50p, Only in the Royal Mint Proof or B Unc - card sets	m - unknown
1992/93 - Lp20 / bex.. Dual date, why ? Rare in Bunc - (Bright- Unused - Condition)	Rev - shows / Single Market, UK as EEC Commision leaders ( a new rarity ? )	m 109,000. (Low) . Kew Gardens is 210.000
1994 - Lp21 / bex.. The last Thick 50p in Bunc for General . circulation	Rev / 50th Anniversary of the D-Day landings (planes above) by John Mills / still a heavy version	m 6,705,520
1995 - Lp22 / bex	50p is only found in a Royal Mint Proof or B.Unc Year type, card sets	m - unknown
1997 - Lp23 / bex.. 1st Thin issued in October. At - 8gms. - No Thick Bunc, made for Circ.	Rev has Britannia, the Obv shows older version of the Queen's portrait and Crown. The thinner coin of 8gms arrives in Oct 1997	m 456,364,100
1997 - Lp24, 25 / bex Two Proof 50 Pences	Note, this Proof Set has a Large and Thin version of 50p Plus an Aniv £5 coin in a 10 piece set.	m 80,748
1998 - Lp26 / bex.. - T1	Multiple flags depicting the 25th Aniv. of our joining the E.E.C. in 1973. N.B. All heavy 50p's now withdrawn, Sept/Oct	m 5,043,000
1998 - Lp27 / bex.. - T2	Rev / The N.H.S now 50yrs and a thin version	m 5,001,000
1998 - Lp28 / bex.. - T3	Rev - Bitannia, but New image & Crown on the Obv. Designer / Ian Rank-Broadley	m 64,306,500
1999 - Lp29 / bex	Rev - Britannia	m 24,905,000
2000 - Lp30 / bex - T1	Rev - Britannia	m 27,915,000
2000 - Lp31 / bex.. - T2	Rev - The Public Libraries Act / 150yrs ago	m 11,263,000
2001 - Lp32 / bex	Rev - Britannia	m 84,998,500
2002 - Lp33 / bex	As above	m 23,907,500
2003 - Lp34 / bex - T1	Rev - Britannia	m 23,583,000
Terms used	Obv or Rev sides - Ref 1976 data
2003 - Lp35 / bex.. - T2	Rev - Womens Rights, 100th - Aniv of Social and Political union	m 3,124,000
2004 - Lp36 / bex.. - T1	Rev - 1st Sub 4 min- mile, by 25 yr old Dr.Rodger Bannister, at Oxford, 50yrs ago. 6/5/54 - also shows a clock	m 9,032,500, Proof - m 3,500 (also Lp 116 - 2019)
2004 - Lp37 / bex - T2	Rev - Britannia	m 35,315,500
2005 - Lp38 / bex - T1	Rev - Britannia	m 25,363,,500
2005 - Lp39 / bex.. - T2	Rev - Aniv of the English Dictionary by Samuel Johnson / 250 Yrs ago	m 17,649,000
2006 - Lp40 / bex.. - T1	Rev - The V.C medal, given for Valour, instituted by Queen Victoria in 1856. / 150yrs ago	m 12,087,000
2006 - Lp41 / bex.. T2	Rev - shows an act of Valour, with a soldier saving his comrade	m 10,000,500
2006 - Lp42 / bex - T3	Rev - Britannia	m 24,560,000
Terms used for -	Obv & Rev sides - Ref 1976 data
Lp tables for fast location of a 50p	L = Roman 50, & p = Pence
2007 - Lp43 / bex..	Scouting movement, Rev design by Kerry Davies	m 7,710,750 . Also in a 5 Pc Proof Set m 3,500 (See Ref 2019 )
2007 - Lp44 / bex - T2	Rev - Britannia	m 11,200,000
2008 - Lp45 / bex	Rev - Britannia	m 3,500,000
2008 - Lp46 / bex - T2	Rev shows part of the Royal Shield, the third & fourth quarterings, (also a Puzzle to solve ? ) A new Rev design by Matthew Dent	m 22,747,000
2009 - Lp47 / bex	250yrs of the Botanical Gdns at Kew 1759 / 2009, - Rev shows a Pagoda design by Christopher Le Brun. - there are 3 Varieties	Lp48 - m 210,000- low Lp113 - Proof, m 3,500 and Lp124 (Dual Dated 2009 & see 2019) - m- TBA
2010 - Lp48 / bex..	Rev shows 100yrs of the Girl Guide movement in the U.K.	m 7,410,000 - and Proof set, m 3,500 See Ref 2019
2011- Lp49 / bex..	Rev - a complex scene with a central Panda / 50yrs work by the World Wildlife Org.	m 3,400,000
	The 2012 London Olympics
2011 - Here follows 29 varieties of Rev sides, Struck during the year to mark the many events.	The Royal Mint, official term 'The London 2012 Sports Collection' will apply. So 29 Revs follow, 1/29, 1a/29 etc, up to 29/29	2011 - Lp51 up to Lp / 80 inclv. (incl 1/29 and 1a/29 variety.,so 30 in all)
2011 - Lp51, 52..	1/29 Aquatics - 2 vareties (Face hiddenor or Face shown) original run shows water with face hidden - Lp51	m unknown
2011 - Lp 53,54,55 bex..	2/29 Archery (as Lp53)	3/29 Athletics, 4/29 Badminton - (Lp55)
Type 3/29 Athletics, Designed by a 9yr old - Florence Jackson	Rev - a High Jumper, designed by a School Child, a Royal Mint first	Obv dated 2011 (or 2009 but debateable) / M is unknown
2011 - Lp's 56,57 58,59 / bex..	5/29 Basketball, 6/29 Boccia, (the 5th and 6th of the 29 types, etc)	6/29, m 2,160,000; 7/29 Boxing, 8/29 Canoeing,
2011- Lp's 60, 61, 62, 63 / bex..	9/29 Cycling, 10/29 Equestrian,	9/29 m 2,090.500 11/29 Fencing, 12/29 Football,
2011 - Lp63 (12/29 - 'Football' )	Shows the Offside rule in detail.	m 1,125,000
2011 - Lp's 64, 65, 66, 67 / bex..	13/29 Goalball, 14/29 Gymnastics,	15/29 Handball, 16/29 Hockey,
2011 - Lp's 68, 69 / bex..	17/29 Judo, (17th of the 29 Royal Mint term)	18/29 Modern- Pentathlon,
2011 - Lp's 70, 71,72 / 73 / bex..	19/29 RowinRg, 20/29 Sailing,	21/29 Shooting, 22/29 Table Tennis, m = 1,733,500
2011 - Lp's 74, 75 76 / bex..	23/29 Taekwondo, M = 1,664,000 24/29 Tennis, M = 1,454,000	25/29 Triathlon, . m = 1,163,500
2011 - Lp's 77, 78 / bex .. for	26/29 Volleyball, M = 2,133,500	27/29 Weightlifting,m= 1,879,500
Refs used , Lp = Roman L - 50	and p - Pence. Eeasy location
2011 - Lp's 79, 80 / bex..(Incl types 1/29 and 1a/29 variety)	28/29 Wheelchair - Rugby, M = 1,765,500	29/29 Wrestling, m = 1,129,500
2011 - N.B. 12/29 - Football & 25/29 - Triathlon are Rare in Bunc.	12/29, Shows Diag. of the 'Offside rule' for ref. Types 12 & 25 are both Low mintages !	12/29 - m = 1,125,000 25/29 - m = 1,163,500
2012 - Lp 81 / bex..	Rev shows the Royal Shield	m 32,300,030
2013 - Lp 82 / bex.. T1	Rev shows the 2008 Royal Shield	m 10,301,000
2013 - Lp 83 / bex.. T2	Rev 2 Shows Text - re - Benjamin Britten, Composer / b 1913 - d. 1976	m 5,300,000
2013 - Lp 84 / bex.. T3	Rev 3 has a Shield, a trial sample by Christopher Ironside in selections of new Rev designs	m 7,400,000
2014 - Lp 85 / bex..	Rev shows the Royal Shield	m 49,001,000
Terms used	Obv or Rev sides- Ref 1976 data
2014 - Lp 86 / bex..	Rev shows the Glasgow Commonwealth Games	m 6,500,000
2015 - Five 50p's exist Dated 2015. and NOT Face Variations. so Lp87 / bex.. is my (T-1)	The Rev. shows the 1940 Battle of Britain & Airmen. - Obv has a New portrait by Jody Clark and 'Fifty Pence' as normal	m 5,900,000
2015 - Lp88 / bex .. T2	As above, but NO denomination at all on either side (50p), also with an Old 1998 Obv of the Queen's portrait by Ian Rank Broadley ( a Mint error ?). Types 1,4 and 5 Obv's have the updated Queen's portrait by Jody Clark .	m - unknown
2015 - Lp89 / bex .. T3	Rev shows the Royal Shield by Matthew Dent (2008) Fifty Pence below. Date at 12o'clock on an older Obv side	m - unknown
2015 - Lp 90 / bex.. T4	Similar but date at 25 past position, an updated Obv by Jody Clark (Crown and 4th portrait)	m 20,101,000
2015/ - Lp91 / bex / T5	Silver Proof 50p / With new Jody Clark Obv and NO denomination at all, so 5 Types of 2015 (unusual) Also it is apparent there are 3 different Obv. sides	m - unknown
2016 - Lp92 / bex..	Rev 1 / Battle of Hastings / Design by John Bergdahl	m 5,000,000
Terms used for -	Obv & Rev sides - ref 1976 data
2016 / 5 Rev 's / all created by the talented Royal Mint coin designer Emma Noble. She has captured every finite detail of Miss Potter's creations making a charming set to see/collect	5 Revs / 150 yrs since the birth of Beatrix Potter and her much loved stories and charachters (1866) . Type 1 Peter Rabbit , T2-Jemima Puddle- Duck, T3 Squirrel Nutkin, T4 Mrs Tiggy-Winkle, and T5-Text only	T1 m 9.600.000, T2 m= 2,100,000, T3 m = 5,000,000, T4 m = 8,800,000, T5 m= 6.9m
The fve types, in Lp order as so /	Lp's 93, 94, 95, 96, 97 / bex..
2016 - Lp98 / bex..	Rev - Team G.B and the 'Rio Olympics' shows a swimmer doing the Butterfly stroke/ designer Tim Sharp .	m 6,400,000
2017 - Lp99 / bex..	Rev - 300th Aniv of the Gold Standard report by Sir Issac Newton, ( also an M.P.)	m 1,801,500
2017 - (4) In list order, Lp100, 101, 102, and 103 / bex ..	More Beatrix Potter coins issued, Mr Jeremy Fisher, Tom Kitten, The tale of Peter Rabbit - m = 19,900,000,	Tom Kitten / m = 9,500,000 ,Benj Bunny, 25,000,000, Jeremy Fisher, m = 9,900,000
2018 - (4) In list order - Lp104, 105, 106, and 107 / bex..	More of this series for 2018 , Peter Rabbit (2nd), Flopsy Bunny, Mrs Tittle Mouse and Tailor of Gloucester - as at 26/05/18 there are 13 varieties in the series to find	New portrait for Peter Rabbit m - unknown
2018 - Lp108 / bex.. (Pd1)	Rev shows Paddington Bear sat on his suitcase at his namesake Railway Station. (from the book by Michael Bond in 1958)	m 5,001,000
2018 - Lp109 / bex..	Comm. 100yrs since 'The Peoples Act' - 1918. Giving 'equal' rights to vote for Men & Women. (men at 21yrs / women at 30yrs ) but 10yrs later - 1928, then Both at 21yrs	m 9,000,000
2018 - Lp110 / bex.. (Pd2)	Paddington Bear at the Palace, and 60yrs since the book 'A Bear called Paddington'	m 5,901,000
2018 - Lp111 / bex..	Flying Snowman. Obv by Jody Clark Rev by Natasha Ratcliffe	m - unknown
2018 - 200 Yrs ago, Mary Shelley's Horror novel 'Frankenstein' // A Special Guest Insert ..	UK £2 Coin, an * Unusual Rev by Designer Thomas T. Docherty, Obv by Jody Clark *	m - unknown
2018 - 100th Anniversary of the First World War Armistice // A Special Guest Insert..	A Poignant U.K. £2 Coin, the Rev, Stephen Raw, the Obv by Jody Clark	m - unknown
2019 - (Jan) A 5 Pc. Proof Set , all 50p's . My list numbers in order - Lp's 112, 113, 114, 115 and 116 / bex	To Celebrate 50yrs, since the 1st 'Thick 50p' in 1969, Kew Gdn's - 2009, Scouts - 2007, Girl Guides -2010, and 4 min - Mile (in 1954) -2004	m 3,500 - Proof sets , Royal Mint Quality. Sold out in 48hrs
2019 - Celebrates 160 yrs since the birth of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. (22/5/1859) - Lp117 / bex..	Sherlock Holmes. a charachter from the Novel 'Woman in Scarlet ' by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in 1887	m 8,602,000
2019 - Lp118 / bex ..	'The Gruffalo' / From the book by Julia Donaldson 20yrs ago	m - unknown
2019 - (Mar) - Lp 119 / bex.. Stephen Hawking . b. UK- 1947 / d -2019 .	Stephen Hawking one of the World's most brilliant scientists. Obv by Jody Clark / Rev by Edwina Ellis	m - unknown
2019 - Lp120 / bex..	Peter Rabbit (3rd) Previous, 2016/18 plus The Tale of Peter Rabbit/ 2017. so 14 coins in the series now	m - unknown
Terms used for -	Obv & Rev sides - Ref 1976 data
2019 /N.B./ All Obv's show 2019: 1969 is a Thin 8gms version, the Revs are all unaltered (5) Lp121, 122, 123, 124 and 125 / bex..	A 5 Pc Coin set to Celebrate 50yrs of the 50p, 1969 / 2004/ 07/ 09 and 2010	m - unknown
2019 / A 5 Pc set of past U.K. historical moments on coins, Lp126, 127, 128, 129 and 130 / bex..	Celebrating Military History over 50yrs and the 50p - 1994, 2006- VC Medal, 2006- Bravery, 2015, 2016 and the Battle of Hastings	m - unknown
2019 - Lp131 / bex.. (Pd3)	Paddington Bear visits the Tower of London in Aug / Rev by David Knapton and Obv is a 5th portrait of Her Majesty, by Jody Clark	m 9,001,000
2019 - Lp132 / bex.. (Pd4)	Paddington Bear is seen again at St Paul's Cathedral, on 10/9/19	m 9,001,000
2019 - Lp133 / bex.. to mark the 50th Aniv of our 50 pence coin, yes 50yrs.	Rev - Britannia, 'New Pence' above and 50 below (not seen since 1981) Obv shows 50 Pence, so Two denominations. Embossed edge/rim , a nice Unique coin.	m 122,000,000
Some Anomalies, 2011 - Aquatics - Lp51, / 2015 - No Denom at all - Lp88 / 1992 - Dual Date - 1992/93 (rare) - as Lp20 / bex	2015 - (Five coins), one with No Denomination at all - Lp88, plus a 2019, with 2 Denominations on - LP133.	Four to date, may be more ?
2019 - Lp134 / bex..	The Gruffalo & curious Mouse	m - unknown
2019 - Lp135 / bex..	Wallace & Gromit / Rev by Nick Park / Obv by Jody Clark	m - unknown
2020 - Lp136 / bex..	Marking our leaving the E.U. - inscribed - 31st January 2020	m - unknown
2020 - Lp137 / bex..	Team G B - 2020 / Tokio Olympics, Rev shows a mosaic design and 32 of the events, a nice 50p coin.	m - unknown
2020 - ( Mar ) 1, Lp138 / 2, Lp139 and T 3, as Lp140 / bex..	Three 50 pences showing the Dinosaur family, / 1 = Megalosaurus, Rev Designer Robert Nicholls, Obv by Jody Clark. Type 2 = Iguanodon, 3 = Hylaeosaurus	m - unknown
2020 - Lp141 / bex..	Peter Rabbit, & 15th in the Beatrix Potter series, / (30-3-20 )	m - unknown
2020 - Lp142 / bex..	Rosalind Franklin, a British DNA Scientist. Rev by David Knapton	m - unknown
2020 - Lp143,44 and 45 / bex.. Designer, The Walt Disney Co	Three 50p's, - Revs show the Winnie The Pooh series by A.A. Milne (in Lp order) Winnie the Pooh, Christopher Robin and Piglet	m - unknown
2020 - Lp146 / bex..	Rev shows, Diversity Built Britain	m - unknown
2020 - Lp147 / bex..	The Snowman - (Dec 2020)	m - unknown
2021 - Lp148,149,150 / bex.. - Obv by - Jody Clark , / Revs by Robert Nicholls	Three more in the Dinosaur range (Apr) The Temnodontosaurus, Plesiosaurus and Dimorphodon	m - unknown
In the Dinosaur 50p range, the coin to look out for is the rare -	The Ithinkhesawrausrex - Last spotted by Pete Bog and Emley Moor. 14/8/35 - N.Yorks. Moors	m - unknown
2021 - Lp151 / bex..	John Logie Baird ( Scots ) Inventor of the First working T.V. on 26/01/1926	m - unknown
2021 - Lp152 / bex..	'Team G B'- 2nd coin for this event / see Lp137 , also Dual Dated, 2020 on the Rev / David Knapton and 2021 - Obv / Jody Clark	m - unknown
2021 - Lp153, 54 and 55 / bex.. - Obv / Jody Clark : Rev / Walt Disney Co.	Winnie the Pooh & friends : 2 - Owl : 3 - Tigger.	m - unknown
Refs / L = Roman 50, and 'p' for pence, for all Listed 50p's .	From 1969 to date	For easy Location

ADDENDUM

You may like to visit 'Blunham.com' and our delightful Bedfordshire village with its Thatched Cottages, try the links on the 'Home / Index Page and the extensive researches by Colin Hinson over many years. Visit my work on our Victorian Public Houses, or 'Misc & Mash' , 'The Ghost of Theo's Wreck.' and a Bygone Guernsey

Finally, it may be of interest for the 50 Pence Collector, these dates can Only be found in ' Proof sets' or year 'Type sets' mounted on a card. They were found, c1970s & 1980s in large G.P.O's who were appointed by the Royal Mint as distributors, // 1971,1972,1974,1984,1986,1987,1990,1995 and1997 - so Not issued for general circulation.

It is of interest to note the three Lowest mintages, in 'ascending' order are, 1992/93 , m = 109,000, 1984 m = 158,820, Only found in the Royal Mint, Year Type presentation 'card sets'. The 2009 Kew Gdns. - m = 210,000 , so all Very Low indeed.

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Acknowledgements to Colin Hinson, Philippa Exley and the Royal Mint archives