Introducing the Table Tennis 50p Coin
Even though the sport started in Victorian England as an after-dinner parlor game, it only became an Olympic sport at the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympic Games. Both men and women competed at the first game, with China dominating and taking home five medals. The sport can be played as individuals or teams competing against each other. Even though the rules of the game are generally simple, with players trying to force their opponent to fail to return the ball, the dimensions of the table and the light weight of the ball create an incredibly fast-paced game.
Table Tennis 2011 50p
The Table Tennis 50p is designed by Alan Linsdell, a retired illustrator. The design features two hands holding opposing table tennis bats, both missing a flying ball. Behind the bats is the table tennis table. The London 2012 logo is at the top.
In an interview with the Royal Mint Museum, Alan describes how he got his design into the competition. “…I did a few pencil sketches on the side of the newspaper deciding on table tennis because I play table tennis and worked out a design… on the window ledge was a yellow vase with a circular base so I picked it up, put it on the template and drew around it for one of the table tennis bats, moved it across and drew around it again for the other table tennis bat and then drew a line through the pair of them, drew handles on them, hands on each one and then added a table on the background and then finally the ball with a swoosh going across it which completed the design with a bit more shading to be added on the bat and by doing that I was able to get it done and take it out with me and post it just in time for the first class post to get it there the following day so I was a bit surprised when it won really.”
(Caption: Pictogram for the Table Tennis event at the 2012 London Olympics)
How Much is the Table Tennis 50p Coin Worth?
As of October 2019, the highest price for any version of the Table Tennis 50p was £10.00 for an uncirculated version still in its original packaging.
How Many Table Tennis 50p Coins Were Made in Circulation?
The Royal Mint released 1,737,500 Table Tennis 50p coins into circulation.
Other Versions of the Table Tennis 50p Coin
Along with the base medal (circulation) version of the Table Tennis 50p, there are two other versions for coin collectors. There is the Brilliant Uncirculated version and the Silver Proof version (mintage 30,000).
Other Olympics Coins
For more information on the London Olympic coin series, Chancery Coins has a guide that covers everything about those 29 50p coins.
For other 2012 Olympic Games related coins, the Royal Mint also released a £2 coin series for the Handover ceremony and a £5 coin series to celebrate the countdown to the 2012 Games. For other Olympic Games outside of the 2012 Games, there is also the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics 50p and the 100th anniversary of the 1908 London Games £2 coin in 2008.
Specifications | |
Issued | 2011 |
Diameter | 27.30mm |
Weight | 8.00g |
Thickness | 1.78mm |
Composition | Cupro-nickel (75% copper, 25% nickel) |
Obverse Designer | Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS |
Reverse Designer | Alan Linsdell |
Edge | Plain |
Mintage | 1,737,500 |
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