BU Coin Summary & Key Facts
The The Winged Keys 2024 UK 50p Brilliant Uncirculated Coin is a
non-circulating collector coin – it was not intended for circulation and is only
available in BU and proof formats. Struck in cupro-nickel to Brilliant Uncirculated quality, it shows Harry Potter
flying a broomstick as he reaches for a winged key, adapted for coinage by The Royal Mint in collaboration with
Warner Bros.
Core specifications and current guide values for the standard (non-coloured) BU Winged Keys 50p.
| Aspect |
Figure |
BU-specific notes |
| Denomination |
50 pence |
UK 50p commemorative from the official Harry Potter coin range.
|
| Alloy, weight & diameter |
Alloy: Cupro-Nickel
Weight: 8.00 g
Diameter: 27.30 mm
|
Standard modern 50p specification with a plain edge.
|
| Year & status |
2024 – NIFC |
Not Intended For Circulation (NIFC) so you won’t find this coin in your change; all pieces are
collector issues.
|
| Quality |
Brilliant Uncirculated (BU) |
Higher-grade strike with sharper detail and cleaner surfaces than a normal circulation coin.
|
| Designers |
Reverse: Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (Harry Potter artwork, remastered for coinage)
Obverse: Martin Jennings
|
Obverse shows the uncrowned portrait of King Charles III; reverse artwork licensed from
the Harry Potter franchise.
|
| Circulation mintage |
0 |
Officially recorded as Not Intended For Circulation (NIFC) – all Winged Keys 50p coins are non-circulating issues.
|
| BU mintage |
Not yet published |
Coin databases list BU mintage as “unknown” at present; coloured BU has a limited edition
of 20,000, but the plain BU is on an unlimited-mintage basis.
|
| Issue price (BU) |
£15.00 |
|
| Current guide value (BU) |
≈ £5 |
Market estimates the non-coloured BU Winged Keys 50p at about £5 in as-new condition.
|
This BU Winged Keys 50p is very much “Harry on a broomstick in full flight”, but without the colour printing –
which gives the design a slightly more classic, all-metal look than the coloured version.
-
Scene & theme:
The coin captures the moment in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone when Harry, Ron and Hermione
must catch the right winged key on broomsticks to progress toward the Philosopher’s Stone. The design is used to
highlight the friendship and teamwork at the heart of the story, even though only Harry appears
on the coin.
-
Reverse design details:
The non-coloured BU shows:
- Harry Potter leaning forward on his broomstick mid-flight,
- a winged key ahead of him,
- the inscription THE WINGED KEYS below the scene.
It’s the same base artwork used for the coloured BU and silver proofs, just without the colour overlay.
-
Part of a wider Harry Potter range:
Winged Keys joins earlier Potter-themed coins as part of The Royal Mint’s ongoing collaboration with
Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products. The design slots into the “iconic moments”
sub-theme that picks out key scenes from the books and films.
-
Non-coloured BU vs coloured BU:
-
This coin: plain Brilliant Uncirculated finish, no colour printing, BU mintage not capped.
-
Coloured BU: same design but with colour applied to Harry and the key, limited to a
maximum mintage of 20,000.
Collectors who prefer a traditional metal-only look will usually go for the non-coloured BU; character-coin
fans and Harry Potter completists often pick up both.
-
Other formats in the range (for context):
The Winged Keys design is also available as:
- a coloured Silver Proof 50p (max mintage 8,110),
- a 1/40th oz gold proof 50p,
- a larger 1oz silver proof £2,
- a gold proof 50p (max mintage 200).
All share the same core artwork, just in different metals and formats.
-
Collecting tip:
For this non-coloured BU:
- prioritise examples still in their original Royal Mint or dealer packaging,
- check the large flat fields around Harry and the key for marks or milk spots,
- store packs flat and out of direct light to keep the printed artwork and coin surfaces in good shape.
