50 Pence - Charles III Windrush Generation; Gold Proof
2023 year| Gold (.9167) | 15.5 g | 27.3 mm |
| Issuer | United Kingdom (United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies) |
|---|---|
| King | Charles III (2022-date) |
| Type | Non-circulating coin |
| Year | 2023 |
| Value | 50 Pence 0.50 GBP = USD 0.65 |
| Currency | Pound sterling (decimalized, 1971-date) |
| Composition | Gold (.9167) |
| Weight | 15.5 g |
| Diameter | 27.3 mm |
| Shape | Equilateral curve heptagon (7-sided) |
| Technique | Milled |
| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
| Updated | 2024-10-09 |
| Numista | N#351632 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 100% |
Reverse
A depiction of a Caribbean man and a woman set against a Union flag accompanied by the number 75 and the inscription.
Script: Latin
Lettering:
75
VJ
WINDRUSH GENERATION
Designer: Valda Jackson
Edge
Plain
Comment
This coin was issued as part of the Annual Commemorative Gold Proof set for 2023 (issue limit 150, sales unknown), as well as individually (Issue limit: 75, sales unknown) and in a coin and stamp cover (Issue limit: 50, sales unknown). The design was also struck in copper-nickel, silver proof and silver piedfort. Issue limit: 285
© The Royal Mint, 2023
On 21st June 1948, a ship called HMT Empire Windrush docked at Tilbury in Essex after arriving from Jamaica. It carried 1,027 passengers, 802 of which were British subjects, including men, women and children, who gave their last country of residence as somewhere in the Caribbean, travelling to the United Kingdom hoping to start a new life. Marking the date of disembarkation, Windrush Day takes place on 22 June each year.
Whilst it was not the first ship to transport British Caribbean passengers to the country following the Second World War, many of the people on board were UK ex-service personnel. These people sought work in the ‘mother country’, as the war had left the UK with a significant labour shortage and a decimated economy. By 1961, the national population census recorded 161,000 Caribbean-born people were living in England and Wales.
Windrush garnered much attention upon its arrival and has since become symbolic for many of the Caribbean communities who, alongside numerous Commonwealth citizens, arrived in the UK between 1948 and 1973. They played a pivotal role in rebuilding the UK after the Second World War, as well as shaping modern British culture and society.
Interesting fact
The 50p coin commemorating the Windrush Generation features a unique design that includes a portrait of Charles III, surrounded by a pattern of leaves and flowers, symbolizing the diversity and contributions of the Windrush Generation to British society.
