Royal Mint to redesign UK coins

Seven UK coins are to undergo a redesign, understood to include the removal of the iconic image of Britannia from the 50 pence piece, as part of a revamp by The Royal Mint.

The overhaul is the result of a competition launched by The Royal Mint in 2005 to find new reverse designs for the seven coins, from the one pence piece to the £1 coin.

More than 4000 designs were received from 526 designers, the highest response to any public competition to overhaul the UK coinage, according to The Royal Mint, including the one which was organised at the time of decimalisation.

The Royal Mint has declined to reveal the names of the winning designers until the new look launches in the spring. ‘The Royal Mint will make a public statement about the new reverse coin designs at the time of their official launch in spring. No other details about the specific designs are being released until this time,’ says a spokesman.

‘This is a significant change to the United Kingdom’s circulating coins, and, as such, needs to be communicated in a structured way. It is important that people understand what is changing and why it has happened,’ the spokesman adds.

According to reports, Gordon Brown approved the change as one of his last acts as Chancellor of the Exchequer.