While the coin was later released into circulation in 2011 ahead of the 2012 London Olympics, the 2009 version remains sought after by collectors in the know. Originally made available through The Royal Mint’s website as a brilliant uncirculated (BU) finish strike dated 2009, only 19,751 editions of the Olympic high jump 50p coin were sold – solidifying its place as a rare piece for the rest of time. The issue arose after the old obverse (the ‘heads’ side of a coin) was used with the new reverse (the ‘tails’ side). The lucrative 20p coins were the first coins in over three hundred years to enter circulation in the UK without a date. The result of an unusual error by The Royal Mint in November 2008, around 250,000 pieces were struck without the date denoted on the coins. Of the four, the Northern Irish edition of the coin is sparse, with only 485,500 released. In the build up to 2002 Commonwealth Games, the largest multi-sport event held in the UK before the 2012 London Olympics, four commemorative £2 coins were released displaying the four different flags of the constituent countries of the UK. The 2016 Peter Rabbit 50p was the first coin to be issued in the series and features a close up portrait of the loveable rabbit with his big whiskers taking centre-stage.
