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Olympic Handball 50p

Cupro-nickel Circulating 2011 50p London 2012 Olympic Games  Share This Coin:
Olympic Handball 50p - Reverse - 2011 UK 50p Coin
Price Guide
£2.00
Rarity Score 60

Coin Specifications

Denomination
50p
Year
2011
Metal
Cupro-nickel
Finish
Circulating
Mintage
1,676,500
Weight
8 g
Diameter
27.30 mm
Obverse
Ian Rank-Broadley
Reverse
Natasha Ratcliffe

How much is the Olympic Handball 50p worth?

As a circulating coin, the Olympic Handball 50p is worth its face value of 50p. However, collectors may pay more for high-grade examples or if the coin is scarce. Check our rarity score to see how sought-after this coin is.

Olympic Handball 50p Images

High-quality images of the 2011 Olympic Handball 50p showing obverse and design details. Click any image to view full size.

Olympic Handball 50p Obverse - 2011 UK 50p Coin Head Side
Obverse (Heads)
Designed by Ian Rank-Broadley
The obverse (heads side) of the 2011 50p coin featuring the portrait designed by Ian Rank-Broadley .

Tip: Click any image to view it in full size. All images show the actual 2011 Olympic Handball 50p as issued by The Royal Mint, helping you identify genuine coins and understand their design features.

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Coin Description

Design: The reverse features a dynamic design by Natasha Ratcliffe of a handball player in mid-air about to throw the ball, with a handball court in the background. The London 2012 Olympics logo is positioned above the player.

Mintage: There were 1,676,500 of these coins released into general circulation, a low figure for a 50p coin, which contributes to its collectability.

Material: The coin is made of cupro-nickel, weighing 8.00 grams with a diameter of 27.30 millimetres, standard for a 50p coin.

About This Coin

🤾‍♂️ 2011 Olympic Handball 50p
Circulating London 2012 Olympic 50p featuring a handball player mid-air on a marked court – a “less common” coin from the 29-piece Olympic sports set.

Summary of Value & Key Facts

The 2011 Handball 50p is part of the official London 2012 Olympic fifty pence series. With a circulation mintage of 1,676,500, it sits in the less common bracket – noticeably scarcer than most commemorative 50ps, but not as rare as headline Olympic designs like Football or Triathlon. Collector demand keeps its value comfortably above face in both circulated and Brilliant Uncirculated grades.

📊 Key Figures

Core specifications and guide values for the standard circulating Handball 50p.

Aspect Figure Notes
Denomination 50 pence Standard seven-sided UK 50p issued for general circulation in 2011 as part of the London 2012 sports set.
Alloy, weight & diameter Cupro-nickel, 8.00 g, 27.30 mm 75% copper, 25% nickel – the usual “large” 50p specification with a plain edge.
Mintage (circulating) 1,676,500 Official circulation mintage; listed as “Less Common” on modern scarcity indexes.
UNC / BU mintage ≈117,500 (UNC) Uncirculated coins sold in packs; silver BU listed separately at 30,000.
Designers Reverse: Natasha Ratcliffe
Obverse: Ian Rank-Broadley 		Reverse shows a handball player throwing a ball overlaid on a court; obverse carries the fourth portrait of Queen Elizabeth II.
Typical value (circulated) About £1 to £3 Value guides put average circulated coins around 75p–£1.75, with excellent examples often sold at £2–£3.
UNC / BU value (guide) About £5 to £9 Uncirculated / BU coins in packaging are usually valued around £5–£9 in current dealer listings.
💡 Collector Notes

The Handball 50p is a dynamic design that helped introduce a relatively unfamiliar sport to many UK collectors. It’s not at the very top of the Olympic rarity chart, but its low-ish mintage and strong artwork make it a permanent fixture on collector wish-lists.

  • Commemorative theme: Issued as one of 29 designs celebrating the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The coin represents team handball, played indoors between two teams of seven, where the aim is to throw the ball into the opponent’s goal using only the hands.
  • Design: The reverse shows a handball player mid-jump, arm raised to throw, with the markings of a handball court behind. The London 2012 logo sits above and “50 PENCE” below. Designer Natasha Ratcliffe added the court layout to distinguish the sport from basketball and to give the scene depth, almost like a crowd around the pitch.
  • Rarity in context: With 1,676,500 coins struck, Handball is clearly scarcer than high-mintage commemorative 50ps, but more obtainable than the lowest-mintage Olympic coins such as Football, Judo or Wrestling. Scarcity indexes place it firmly in the “less common” mid-tier.
  • Circulating vs collector versions: