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50 Pence - Elizabeth II Public Libraries, Gold Piedfort
| Issuer | Royal Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 2009 |
| Type | Non-circulating coin |
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| Reverse description | Central design by Mary Milner Dickens depicting an open book with pages fanning dramatically upward, symbolising the spread of knowledge, set above a classical portico with fluted columns representing a public library building. A row of decorative roundels separates the book from the architectural frieze below. The denomination 50 PENCE appears to the right of the open book in bold numerals. The commemorative dates ·1850·2000· arc across the upper field, referencing the sesquicentenary of the Public Libraries Act, while the legend ·PUBLIC LIBRARIES· is inscribed across the lower portion of the design above the colonnade. The engraver's monogram appears at lower right near the base of the columns. |
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| Mintage | 2009 - Proof - 40 |
| Additional information |
The 2009 Public Libraries 50p marked the 150th anniversary of the Public Libraries Act 1850, which had passed through Parliament after fierce opposition from ratepayers unwilling to fund reading rooms for the working poor. The Act initially allowed boroughs to levy only a halfpenny rate, deliberately capping ambition. Piedfort production in 22-carat gold at this weight puts the bullion value well above face — these were collector pieces from the outset, never intended for anything resembling circulation.