Olympic Aquatics 50p

Summary of Value & Key Facts

The 2011 Aquatics 50p is part of the 29-coin London 2012 Olympic sports series. With a circulation mintage in the low millions, it is classed as a “less common” modern 50p rather than a true rarity, but demand from Olympic set builders gives it a solid premium over face value.

Core specifications and guide values for the standard circulating Aquatics 50p (face clearly visible).

The Aquatics 50p is a key part of the London 2012 Olympic 50p set. While the common version is not ultra-rare, it remains one of the more sought-after sports designs thanks to its subject and relatively modest mintage.

• Commemorative theme: Issued as one of 29 different designs celebrating the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, each coin highlighting a different sport. Aquatics covers swimming events, one of the core Olympic disciplines.
• Design: The reverse shows a swimmer moving from left to right under the surface of the water, with stylised waves above, the London 2012 logo at the top and the denomination “50 PENCE” below. The design captures motion and the sense of being submerged in the pool.
• Common vs rare version: This info card refers to the standard circulating design, where the swimmer’s face is clearly visible through the water. A tiny number of early strikes show water lines running across the face – that “lines across the face” variety is a separate error coin with an extremely low mintage and dramatically higher value.
• Rarity in context: With just over 2.1 million in circulation, Aquatics is less common than many commemorative 50p coins but sits mid-table within the Olympic series. It is a good example of a coin where popularity of the theme boosts prices beyond what mintage alone might suggest.
• Circulating vs collector versions:
  • Circulated: Found in change, typically with some wear and contact marks. These are the coins most collectors will add to a circulation-quality Olympic set.
  • Brilliant Uncirculated (BU): Sold in Royal Mint packs and Olympic starter sets, BU coins show full lustre and sharp detail with no bag marks – ideal for higher-grade date or type collections.
  • Proof and presentation pieces: A small number of proof and special-pack versions exist, aimed at more serious collectors. These sit in a higher price bracket, separate from ordinary circulation finds.
• Collecting tip: For the common circulation coin, look for examples with a clean field around the swimmer and clear detail on the arms, goggles and London 2012 logo. If you are ever offered an Aquatics coin said to be the rare “lines-across-the-face” version, compare it closely with confirmed images and, for high prices, insist on reputable authentication.

Overall, the 2011 Aquatics 50p is a solid mid-tier Olympic coin: not the rarest in the set, but visually striking, firmly collected, and worth more than its face value in both circulation and BU grades.