Welsh athlete Rhys Williams strikes new 50p coin at the Royal Mint, which will enter circulation in time for the Commonwealth Games.
The Royal Mint is celebrating the upcoming 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow with the release of a new 50p coin into circulation.
Welsh athlete Rhys Williams struck the new coin at the Royal Mint, Llantrisant, Wales. The striking of the new coin kicked off day two of the Queen’s Baton Relay, the event which sees a baton with a message from the Queen being carried by different runners prior to the start of the Commonwealth Games.
The baton relay heralds the start of production of around 5 million of the circulating version of the coin to accompany the commemorative version, with this year’s 20th Commonwealth Games seeing thousands of athletes competing in 17 sports from hockey to lawn bowls across 11 days in the city of Glasgow.
Designed by Alex Loudon and Dan Flashman, the coin’s dynamic design takes two of the most iconic sports – athletics and cycling – and adds the Saltire of Scotland together with lettering inspired by Charles Rennie Mackintosh.
The Royal Mint’s Director of Commemorative Coin and Bullion, Shane Bissett, said: “For over 1,000 years, The Royal Mint has been producing British coins that have recorded the passing of history, documenting changes in monarchs, customs and national themes. We are thrilled to be able to show our support for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and have the opportunity to commemorate this historical event on both commemorative and circulating coinage”.
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