Olympic Shooting 50p

Summary of Value & Key Facts

The 2011 Shooting 50p is part of the 29-coin London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic series. With a circulation mintage of 1,656,500, it ranks among the scarcer Olympic designs – not quite in the absolute top tier like Football or Judo, but still much harder to find than most modern commemorative 50p coins.

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

The Shooting 50p sits solidly in the “scarce but gettable” slice of the Olympic set. It’s not as infamous as the Football offside coin, but its low-ish mintage and clean, bold design keep it high on many collectors’ hit-lists.

• Commemorative theme: Part of the official London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic 50p collection. The coin represents the sport of shooting, which at the Games is split into shotgun, rifle and pistol events. Britain won a single shooting gold at London 2012.
• Design: The reverse shows the upper body of an athlete aiming a shotgun from left to right. At the end of the barrel, the “exploding” London 2012 logo and stylised fragments emphasise the idea of a clay being hit, with the main London 2012 emblem above and “50 PENCE” below. Dewdhory based the angular look on the official Games graphics rather than a photographic scene.
• Rarity in context: With 1,656,500 pieces struck, Shooting is one of the scarcer Olympic designs – rarer than many mid-table sports like Rowing or Hockey, but more common than the absolute low-mintage coins such as Football, Judo, Wrestling and Triathlon. It appears both on Change Checker’s “Scarce” tier and in Royal-Mint-based top-10 rare 50p lists.
• Circulating vs collector versions:
  • Circulated: Found in change with typical wear; many have already been pulled from circulation by collectors, which adds to the difficulty of finding one now.
  • Brilliant Uncirculated (BU): Sold in Royal Mint Shooting sports cards (LUK50SHT) and coin covers. These coins show full lustre and sharp detail on the shooter’s outline and logo fragments.
  • Silver BU / proof: A sterling silver Shooting 50p was also issued in the London 2012 Sports Collection, with a low worldwide mintage (just over 5,000 pieces).
• Value behaviour: The Shooting 50p’s value is driven by a mix of scarcity (7th-rarest Olympic design by mintage), strong Olympic branding and collector demand for completing the full 29-coin set. Recent guides show:
  • Circulated: typically ~£2–£3+,
  • BU in pack: around £5–£6.50, sometimes higher depending on condition and presentation.
• Collecting tip: For circulation finds, aim for a coin with clear lines on the shooter’s arms and gun, a crisp London 2012 logo and minimal heavy scratching in the open background. For BU or silver pieces, intact original Royal Mint packaging and certificates significantly boost long-term desirability and make authentication easier.

Overall, the 2011 Olympic Shooting 50p is a tidy, scarce modern coin – a step below the very rarest Olympic issues, but still very much “worth hunting” in your change and a key part of any complete London 2012 50p collection.