50 Pence - Elizabeth II Canoeing Gold Proof (2011)
Circulating version: 2011 50 Pence - Elizabeth II – Canoeing
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Year | 2011 |
| Denomination | 50 Pence |
| Face value | 50p |
| Mintage | 1 |
| Mint | Royal Mint · Llantrisant |
| Series | Olympic 50p (2011) |
| Circulation | Non-circulating |
| Composition | Gold (.9167) (917/1000 fine) |
| Weight | 15.500g · 0.4568 t oz |
| Diameter | 27.3mm |
| Shape | Equilateral curve heptagon (7-sided) |
| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
| Grade scale | UK (EF/UNC) |
Fourth crowned portrait of Queen Elizabeth II right, wearing the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara, legend around
A figure in a canoe on a slalom course, London 2012 logo above, denomination below.
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Daily limit reachedAbout the 2011 50 Pence - Elizabeth II Canoeing – Gold Proof
The 2011 50 Pence - Elizabeth II Canoeing – Gold Proof is a collector 50 pence coin in the Olympic 50p (2011) series, struck in 91.67% gold. It weighs 15.5g and measures 27.3mm across. Reverse design: A figure in a canoe on a slalom course, London 2012 logo above, denomination below.
Common questions
How much is the 2011 50 Pence - Elizabeth II Canoeing – Gold Proof worth?
No verified sale of the 2011 50 Pence - Elizabeth II Canoeing – Gold Proof has been logged on MyCoinage yet. Its gold content is worth about £1,373 at today's spot price, which puts a floor under its value.
How is the 2011 50 Pence - Elizabeth II Canoeing – Gold Proof different from the circulating coin?
This is a collector version of the 2011 50 Pence - Elizabeth II – Canoeing, not the coin found in change. At 15.5g of 91.67% gold it is heavier than the 8g nickel circulating coin, so weighing it is the quickest check.
How do I identify the 2011 50 Pence - Elizabeth II Canoeing – Gold Proof?
Check the weight 15.5g and diameter 27.3mm and the metal (91.67% gold) against the specification table on this page. The reverse design is described above.
History and design
This is a collector version of the 50 Pence - Elizabeth II – Canoeing. The history below is that coin's; the mintage, varieties and collecting notes on its page do not apply to this strike.
The Canoeing 50p is one of 29 coins issued for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, one for each sport. The designs were chosen through a competition open to the general public, and all of the coins are dated 2011. The canoeing design was among those authorised by a royal proclamation that came into force on 12 May 2010.
The Royal Mint's figures give a circulating mintage of 2,166,500. That is the fourth highest of the 29, behind Archery (3,345,500), Athletics (2,224,000) and Aquatics (2,179,000), and only 500 more than Boccia (2,166,000). It is one of the easier coins in the set to find: 25 of the designs were struck in smaller numbers.
The reverse is by Timothy Lees, whom the Royal Mint describes as a stone carver and member of the Royal Society of Sculptors. The proclamation describes it as "a figure in a canoe on a slalom course", and the Royal Mint notes that the gates and flowing water of the course are shown around the paddler. The London 2012 logo is above and 50 PENCE below.
Lees told the Royal Mint Museum that he entered several designs after a colleague pointed out the competition, and that canoeing was among his strongest. He had done "a little bit of Sunday afternoon canoeing" but nothing competitive. He began with "dynamic lines which cross and work together" and tried to build overlapping layers "so that it gave the appearance of depth despite it being a very shallow relief". After watching canoes on earlier Olympic courses, he said, "I wanted to try and capture that energy within the coin."
The obverse carries the fourth portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Ian Rank-Broadley, in which she wears the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara. The edge is plain.
Sources
- 2011 Elizabeth II London Olympic Canoeing 50p Coin, The Royal Mint (read 9 Oct 2026)
- Canoeing: Timothy Lees, The Royal Mint Museum (read 9 Oct 2026)
- Proclamation determining the specifications and designs for fifty pence coins commemorating the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, London Gazette issue 59419, 14 May 2010, The Gazette (read 9 Oct 2026)
- UK coin mintage figures (data file), The Royal Mint (read 9 Oct 2026)
- 50p Coin Designs and Specifications, The Royal Mint (read 9 Oct 2026)
- Olympic 50 pence pieces, The Royal Mint Museum (read 9 Oct 2026)
- Proclamation determining the specifications and designs for a fifty pence silver coin commemorating the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, London Gazette issue 59419, 14 May 2010, The Gazette (read 9 Oct 2026)
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