If you want to learn about the 2022 Commonwealth Games 50p coin then you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the design of the coin, as well as the different versions that have been produced and how much they are worth today.
There’s a lot to unpack with this coin, so let’s get straight into it.
2022 Commonwealth Games 50p Design
The reverse design of the coin was created by Natasha Preece, who was also responsible for the Remembrance Day 2020 Coin, and whose initials can be seen underneath the top-half design towards the right.
The overlapping circles at the top of the design represent the Library of Birmingham, while the V shapes are in reference to the Commonwealth Games logo.
The obverse design is Jody Clark’s fifth portrait of the Queen which has been used on the majority of UK coins since 2015.
England, Wales, Scotland And Northern Ireland Versions
The brilliant uncirculated versions of the 2022 Commonwealth Games 50p were also released for each country within the United Kingdom.
For example, the Team Wales edition features the Welsh dragon beneath the ‘GAMES’ inscription at the center of the bottom of the reverse design. The Team England version has a lion in the same place, and so on.
These versions are priced more than the regular brilliant uncirculated version that features no customization. They are sold with custom packaging, as well as coloured Commonwealth V’s on the reverse design.
The silver proof and silver proof piedfort versions feature the same coloured additions (as well as non-coloured vesions), with the gold proof not including these elements due to the colour of the metal.
Commonwealth Games On Other Coins
The Commonwealth Games have been featured on other coins throughout the years, which should come as no surprise given how important the event is to the United Kingdom.
In 2002 for example there were 4 £2 coins released into circulation for the Commonwealth Games held in Manchester that year.
These £2 coins are particularly interesting as they are some of the rarest in circulation. The Northern Ireland version specifically is the rarest £2 coin of any in circulation to this day.
If we look back even further there was also an old-style £2 coin that was issued way back in 1986 which commemorated the games held in Edinburgh the same year. This was the first ever old-style £2 coin to be issued in the UK, but it did, unfortunately, have a much larger mintage than the 2002 new style coin.
Is The 2022 Commonwealth Games 50p Rare?
The 2022 Commonwealth Games 50p did not enter circulation and was instead released as a collectable coin by the Royal Mint in several finishes.
The total mintage of each specific version is unknown, but it is likely to be quite small if previous uncirculated coins are anything to go by.
So, you could assume that the coin is ‘rare’, however, it is not like a circulated coin that can end up in your change – people who want one of these coins will simply purchase them directly from the Royal Mint.
How Much Are They Worth?
As all of the different versions are still available to purchase directly from the Royal Mint the prices are easy to find. We have summarised each version and the current selling prices in the table below, as of September 2022.
Version | Selling Price |
Brilliant Uncirculated (No Colour) | £10.00 |
Brilliant Uncirculated (Country Specific With Colour) | £18.00 |
Silver Proof (With Colour) | £67.50 |
Silver Proof Piedfort (With Colour) | £112.50 |
Gold Proof (With Colour) | £1,150 |
We expect these values to increase through the years as the coins sell out and more collectors look to add them to their collections.
Final Thoughts
The 2022 Commonwealth Games 50p has a striking design and makes a great present for anybody interested in the games.
It is a shame that it won’t be entering general circulation, but at least we have had the Platinum Jubilee 50p enter circulation this year.