A British Fifty Shillings (50/-) coin has only ever been minted once, in the year 1656. It was a milled gold coin weighing 22.7 grams and with a diameter of 30 millimetres. Only eleven examples are known to exist, and they have a current value of approximately £15,000 _ £20,000 each.
The obverse of the coin depicts Oliver Cromwell as a Roman Emperor, with the inscription OLIVAR D G R P ANG SCO HIB &c PRO -- Oliver, by the grace of God Protector of the Republic of England, Scotland, Ireland, etc.. The reverse depicts a crowned shield bearing the Commonwealth arms, with the inscription PAX QVAERITUR BELLO 1656 -- Peace is sought through war, while there is an edge inscription PROTECTOR LITERIS LITERAE NVMMIS CORONA ET SALVS -- A protector of the letters, the letters are a garland and a safeguard to the coinage.
The British decimal fifty pence (50p) coin – often pronounced "fifty pee" – was issued on October 14, 1969 in the run-up to decimalisation to replace the ten shilling note.
The coin is minted from an alloy of 75% copper and 25% nickel.
In 1997 the coin was reduced in size to weigh 8.00 grams with a diameter of 27.3 millimetres.
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