The Royal Mint has launched a new commemorative 50 pence coin celebrating the 50th anniversary of Concorde’s first commercial flight on 21 January 1976. The coin was unveiled at Aerospace Bristol Museum, where the iconic supersonic aircraft is now housed.
The reverse design depicts Concorde in flight against a split-flap departure board, with the aircraft’s name prominently displayed across the centre. The Mint noted a historic link between the aircraft and the coin itself, as Concorde engineers were involved in designing the distinctive seven-sided 50p coin when it was introduced in 1969.
Former Concorde chief engineer John Britton described the coin as a “proud moment” for those who worked on the programme, adding that it allows future generations to “hold a piece of that legacy” and appreciate what British engineering achieved.
Rebecca Morgan, Director of Commemorative Coin at the Royal Mint, said the coin honours both Concorde’s elegance and power and the engineers whose innovation made supersonic passenger travel possible, reinforcing the aircraft’s status as a symbol of British technological excellence.