50 Pence - Elizabeth II Scotia

Reverse

Ship sailing right.

Script: Latin

Lettering:
50
DA
SCOTIA

Edge

Plain

Comment

Pobjoy Mint is delighted to announce the release of a new 50 pence coin in the Antarctic ship series featuring the Scotia on behalf of the British Antarctic Territory. This new coin commemorates the Centenary of William Speirs Bruce who led the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition. William Speirs Bruce was a British naturalist, polar scientist and oceanographer who organised and led the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition to the South Orkney Islands and the Weddell Sea. In 1901, Bruce purchased a Norwegian whaler and during the following months the ship was transformed into an Antarctic research vessel with two laboratories, a dark room and specialist equipment. It was also equipped with 11,000 metres of cable to allow for deep sea trawling for marine specimens and other equipment for the collection of sea water and sea bottom samples. One of the achievements of the expedition was to establish the first permanent weather station in Antarctica which is still operational now. The obverse of the coin features an effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II produced exclusively by Pobjoy Mint.

The hull of the ship was reinforced to withstand the pressures of the Antarctic ice. Renamed Scotia the expedition left Troon in Scotland in November 1902 and headed south towards Antarctica where Bruce intended to set up winter quarters in the Weddell Sea quadrant. Having got stuck in the heavy ice, the Scotia retreated to Buenos Aires until she was able to set sail again, following repairs in January 1904 to explore the Weddell Sea. In March of that year new land was sighted which Bruce named Coats Land, but in danger of becoming icebound, Scotia turned north again for the long voyage back to Scotland. This coin commemorates the 100th Anniversary of the death of William Speirs Bruce who passed away in October 1921.

Interesting fact

Price

Date	Mintage	VG	F	VF	XF	AU	UNC
2021 PM	2750	-	-	-	-	-	-

Values in the table are based on evaluations by sales realized on Internet platforms. They serve as an indication only for 50 Pence - Elizabeth II (Scotia) 2021 coin.