50 Pence - Elizabeth II Equestrian Gold Proof (2011)
Circulating version: 2011 50 Pence - Elizabeth II – Equestrian
| 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
Rider on horse jumping over a fence, London 2012 logo above, denomination below.
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Daily limit reachedAbout the 2011 50 Pence - Elizabeth II Equestrian – Gold Proof
The 2011 50 Pence - Elizabeth II Equestrian – 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: Rider on horse jumping over a fence, London 2012 logo above, denomination below.
Common questions
How much is the 2011 50 Pence - Elizabeth II Equestrian – Gold Proof worth?
No verified sale of the 2011 50 Pence - Elizabeth II Equestrian – 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 Equestrian – Gold Proof different from the circulating coin?
This is a collector version of the 2011 50 Pence - Elizabeth II – Equestrian, 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 Equestrian – 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 – Equestrian. The history below is that coin's; the mintage, varieties and collecting notes on its page do not apply to this strike.
The Equestrian 50p is one of 29 coins issued for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, one for each sport. The designs came from a competition open to the general public, the equestrian design was among those authorised by a royal proclamation in force from 12 May 2010, and every coin in the series is dated 2011.
The Royal Mint's figures give a circulating mintage of 2,142,500. That is the seventh highest of the 29. It sits in a tight group near the top of the series: Boxing is just above at 2,148,500, and Badminton and Volleyball are just below at 2,133,500 each. In all, 22 designs were struck in smaller numbers.
The reverse is by Thomas Babbage and was chosen from more than 30,000 public submissions. The proclamation describes it as "a horse and rider jumping over a fence". The pair are shown in mid-jump, with the London 2012 logo above and 50 PENCE below.
Accuracy was the point of the design. Babbage told the Royal Mint Museum that he studied photographs of horses in competition because he "wanted to make the horse look true to a horse riding event", so that people who know the sport "would feel that this is something that they would see on a regular occasion."
He was working in Austria when he heard about the competition, had "a lot of free time" and entered several coins, of which this one won. He admitted that the Olympics had meant little to him before, but said that winning made the Games "more personal". He called the coin "my fifteen minutes of fame".
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 Equestrian 50p Coin, The Royal Mint (read 9 Oct 2026)
- Equestrian: Thomas Babbage, 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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