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Brexit 50p mocked as its release date likely to be postponed again

Mia Jankowicz

An early design of the ill-fated (so far) 'Brexit 50p'. Picture: HM Treasury - Credit: Archant

There has been a lot of speculation about the future of the 50p coin planned to commemorate Brexit, which is almost certainly delayed after the House of Commons scuppered Boris Johnson’s plans.

A coin emblazoned with the phrase: “Peace, prosperity and friendship with all nations” was first mooted for the initial Brexit date of March 2019 by Philip Hammond, then-chancellor in Theresa May’s government.

Despite Boris Johnson’s government then insisting we’d leave by October 31, by October 6 there was no sign of the celebratory coin other than 1,000 trial coins.

MORE: Remember the Brexit 50p? ‘No coins have actually been minted’Now a raft of alternative suggestions and speculations have surfaced, some more serious than others.

Assiduously looking for a silver lining, the Telegraph declared that the defunct October 31 coins would become “instant collectibles”.

BBC’s economics editor Faisal Islam figured out how long it would take to mint the promised 10 million coins in time for Boris Johnon’s “dead in a ditch” leaving date of October 31 – and they’d have to start today.

While BBC business reporter Adrian Bradley was told by the Royal Mint that information on the next coin production is “commercially sensitive”, prompting PA journalist Simon Neville to ask: “Did they say ‘we don’t want to give commercially sensitive information away to all the other 50p manufacturers’?”

Others took a less forensic approach to the matter.

Twitter user Mark Gibbings-Jones quoted future commentators: “And now, the now regular commemorative melting down of all the commemorative Brexit 50p coins.”

Telegraph journalist Michael Deacon tweeted: “can they not just leave a space so you can fill in the exit date yourself with a pen.”

While Twitter user Simon also took a speculative approach, tweeting: “I wonder if they will drill a small hole in those Brexit 50p pieces, tied with a bit of unicorn hair and award them to the 17.4 million for services to the ERG.”

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