How to Identify the 2012 London Olympics 50p Series

What These Coins Are

Ahead of the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Royal Mint released a set of 29 different fifty-pence coins into circulation, each illustrating a single Olympic or Paralympic sport. Chosen partly through a public design competition, they became one of the most collected British circulating coin sets.

Obverse Design and Inscriptions

The obverse shows the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Ian Rank-Broadley, with the inscription ELIZABETH II D G REG F D 50 PENCE and the date 2011 or 2012. The obverse is the same across the whole set, so identification depends on the reverse sport.

Reverse Design and Inscriptions

Each reverse depicts one sport, from athletics and swimming to boccia and goalball, with the London 2012 logo. The famous swimming coin exists in two versions: an early one where wavy lines cross the swimmer's face, and a revised one with the face clear. The sport shown identifies the coin.

Size, Weight, Metal and Edge

The coins are standard UK fifty-pence pieces: a seven-sided equilateral curve shape, 27.3 mm across the flats, weighing 8 grams, in copper-nickel with a plain edge. Silver and gold proof versions were also sold in sets but share the same shape and design.

Mint Marks and Where to Find Them

British circulating coins do not carry mint marks, as all are struck by the Royal Mint. Instead, distinguish coins by their date (2011 for the collector sets, 2012 for later circulation) and their finish. Proof and silver versions came in official packaging.

Telling It Apart From Similar Coins

The seven-sided shape and 50 PENCE inscription mark it as a fifty-pence coin, while the single-sport reverse and London 2012 logo identify it as part of the Olympic set. Ordinary 50p coins show Britannia or other national designs rather than a sport.

Judging Condition at a Glance

Check the raised sport illustration and the Queen's portrait for wear on the high points. Circulated coins pulled from change often show scuffs and dulled surfaces, while uncirculated set coins keep full luster. The early swimming variety is prized regardless of wear.

Authenticity Red Flags

Because the aquatics variety commands attention, sellers sometimes misdescribe the common version as the rare one; look closely at whether lines cross the swimmer's face. Colorized or plated examples are aftermarket novelties, not Royal Mint products.