Battle of Hastings 50p commemorative coin struck for anniversary
Inspiration for the design was taken from the Bayeux Tapestry.
The first coin to commemorate the 950th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings has been struck at the Royal Mint.
A total of five million 50p coins will be made, and are expected to be in circulation within weeks.
The coin features an image of King Harold with an arrow through his eye, illustrating one of Britain’s best-known historical events.
It depicts the moment he was defeated by William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings.
Inspiration for the design was taken from the Bayeux Tapestry, which details the Norman invasion in Britain.
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Significant anniversaries
Director of the Royal Mint Museum Kevin Clancy said: "The Mint marks about half a dozen or so significant anniversaries every year.
“Sometimes they are historical, sometimes they are about Royal events and sometimes they are sporting events like the Olympics.
“We couldn’t pass up 1066.”
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Royal Mint historian Chris Barker said Battle of Hastings soldiers would have had Mint coins in their purses as they went into battle, said .
"It’s quite fitting that we are making something today to commemorate the battle,” he added.
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Other noteworthy coins
We’ve seen a number of eye-catching coins struck by the Royal Mint this year.
Back in April, it released a commemorative £5 coin to mark the Queen’s 90th birthday.
Artist and sculptor Christopher Hobbs designed the coin, which is decorated with roses to show the Queen’s love for flowers and nature.
Prices for the coin started at £13 for the 'Brilliant Uncirculated' version, while the limited edition 5oz gold coin (one of only 150) cost up to £7,500.
We also saw a 50p coin featuring children's literary favourite Peter Rabbit unveiled in the spring.
The Mint released the coin to mark the 150th anniversary of author Beatrix Potter’s birth in 1866.
In order to retain the essence of Potter’s original illustrations, the coins were made available in silver proof with a colour printed design, bringing Peter and his famous blue jacket to life.
However, the mint also released a plain version of the 50p coin into general circulation.
They proved so popular some were selling for up to £20 on auction sites like eBay.
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