The Shooting 50p coin sells for an average of £2.22 on eBay according to recent sold values in 2022, but why does it regularly sell for above face value?
Let’s take a look at the design and mintage of the coin to see what makes it collectable.
How Rare Is The Olympic Shooting Sport 50p Coin?
This coin that represents the Olympic sport of Shooting is pretty rare. It is considered to be the 7th rarest in the set of 29 coins based on mintage figures alone. Less than 2 Million of these coins were issued with a total of 1,656,500 minted., comparable to other Olympic coins such as the Goalball, Tennis or Offside coins.
Additionally, the coin was minted in:
- Specimen in Card variety on card 21/29
- Silver Brilliant Uncirculated as 0.925 Silver with a limit of 30,000
- One unique Gold Proof FDC 0.917 Gold presented to the artist
The 50p Shooting Olympic Coin was also minted in sets with unknown mintage figures including:
- London 2012 Sports Collection Collector Album
- London 2012 Silver 50p Silver Sports Collection
Shooting at the Olympics
Shooting as a sport involves accuracy, precision, and speed. Competitors use firearms or airguns to shoot distances, aim at targets and beat the clock set with time limits.
The shooting events at the 2012 London Olympics were held at the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich. 390 athletes took part in a total of 15 events. Special dispensation had to be given by the UK government and security since the pistols used for the 25m and 50m events were prohibited by HM Government in England, Scotland, and Wales following the Dunblane Massacre, a tragic shooting at a primary school in 1996.
The Olympic shooting sport events used:
- Rifle
- Pistol
- Shotgun
The many shooting sport events in the 2012 Olympics included:
- men’s 10m air rifle
- men’s 50m rifle prone
- men’s 50m rifle 3 positions
- women’s 10m air rifle
- women’s 50m rifle 3 positions
- men’s 10m air pistol
- men’s 25m rapid fire pistol
- men’s 50m pistol
- women’s 10m air pistol
- women’s 25m pistol
- men’s trap
- men’s double trap
- men’s skeet
- women’s trap
- women’s skeet
The medal count for the 2012 London Olympics in shooting put South Korea and the US on top. South Korea and the United States took a total of 3 gold medals each. Italy and China followed closely with a total of 2 gold medals each
Reverse Side Design of the Olympic Shooting 50p Coin
In an effort to pay tribute to the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, the Royal Mint released 29 coins in 2011 ahead of the event. Each coin depicted a different sport.
At the top and centre of the coin is the Olympic logo that was designed for The 2012 Summer Olympics. It was created by Wolff Olins consultancy firm.
The Shooting 50p coin features an athlete who seems to be competing in the skeet shoot. He is wearing glasses, a visor, and a protective ear covering. It appears as if the athlete has hit the target as there are geometrically shaped pieces shattered in the air where he shot.
The image of the shattered geometric shapes that most likely represent a clay pigeon brought an ironic sense of delight to some as it appeared as though the logo many people disliked was being shot to pieces as the shattered shapes reflect the similar shapes in the logo design.
Centred at the bottom of the coin are the words 50 PENCE.
Obverse Olympic 50p Coin Design
The coin is part of the 50 pence heptagon design. The 50p coin is a Cupro-nickel alloy with an 8.00g weight, a diameter of 27.3mm, and it is 1.78mm thick.
As the name implies, the face value of the coin is worth 0.50 pounds sterling.
The Obverse design is that of Queen Elizabeth II designed by Ian Rank-Broadley. Surrounding her portrait are the words ELIZABETH II * D * G * REG * F * D * 2011.
The edge is plain with no inscription.
Information About the Designer
Each of the 29 Olympic 50p coins was designed by individual designers who entered and were the winners of a contest to determine who the Royal Mint would use for each coin. Tens of thousands of entries were submitted.
Pravin Dewdhory was chosen to design the Shooting Olympic 50p coin.
Pravin Dewdhory is a graphic artist who was living in Hackney next to the Olympic Park. He entered the design competition after learning about it from a friend who knew it was right up his alley. He chose to illustrate the sport of shooting because he had an idea about using the shape of the 2012 logo and turning it into exploding pieces that looked as though they were a shattered clay pigeon that had turned into geometric shapes similar to those in the logo.
When the logo was presented to the public, it met a lot of disapproval. Many even protested the design as they felt that it didn’t embrace an image of all that London had to offer. It seemed jagged and too abstract for some. Despite the uproar and protest, the logo remained.
Where To Buy The Coin
Looking for coins on eBay is one of the fastest and easiest ways to shop for collectable coins. Before you buy anything, make sure the seller is reputable and that what you are getting is exactly what you thought.
When looking for an Olympic shooting 50p coin, expect to pay a little more than Two Pounds. The average selling price on eBay is £2.10 for this specific profile of the 2011 sport of Shooting 50p coin. Always keep in mind that the actual price will be largely determined by the condition of the coin.
