50 Pence - Elizabeth II 4th portrait, Athletics

One of 29 fifty-pence pieces issued by the Royal Mint between 2009 and 2011 to mark the London 2012 Olympics — the largest commemorative coin program in British history by number of designs. Each denomination was assigned a different sport, and the designs were selected through a public competition open to anyone, ultimately won mostly by non-professional artists. This particular piece covers athletics, the anchor event of any Summer Games.

Copper-nickel circulation strikes were produced alongside collector versions in silver and gold. The sheer volume of designs meant many entered general circulation, making the complete 29-coin set a legitimate challenge to assemble from change alone.