Related Articles
It seemed like a good idea. Up until now, the Government had produced three special 50p pieces – in 1973, 1992 and 1998 – marking key stages in Britain’s membership. So why not a fourth to commemorate its exit?
I called Craig Mackinlay, a Eurosceptic Conservative backbencher, and asked him to take up the cudgels on my behalf.
He agreed, and sent a letter to Philip Hammond, the then Chancellor of the Exchequer and “Master of the Mint”, urging him to consider a new special coin. Hammond, who at the time was engaged in a battle with No 10 to deliver the softest Brexit possible, gave the matter his highest priority – and passed it to his most junior Treasury minister, Robert Jenrick.
But Jenrick saw merit in the plans for a Brexit 50p, and told Mackinlay in reply that “there could be an argument for one to commemorate the next chapter in our national story”.
He passed the idea to the Royal Mint Advisory Committee on the Design of Coins, Medals, Seals and Decorations, which advises the Chancellor on whether an event is significant enough to warrant a coin.
The committee ruled that it did, and work on plans for the new coin started in earnest. By October 2018, a design had been agreed, and signed off by the Queen at a meeting of the Privy Council.
The Treasury then announced the Royal Mint would produce a commemorative coin – but its plans were disappointingly low-key. Only around 10,000 would be produced, and made available after the expected Brexit date of 29 March 2019. Collectors were asked to apply for the coins, costing £10 each, and wait eight weeks for delivery.
