With the opening ceremony just weeks away, the anticipation and enthusiasm is building with the start of the Olympic Games and the convergence of over 10,500 athletes from 206 countries and territories. These exceptional men and women will be competing in 329 events and 32 sports over a two week event which will soon be followed by the start of the Paralympics on the 28^th August.

The team representing the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland are set to send more than 350 athletes to Paris and other venues across France and French Polynesia as they aim to surpass the 64 medals, including 22 gold, won at the Tokyo Olympiad 2021, delayed one year due to the pandemic conditions. The British team has the distinction of having competed in every Olympiad since 1896 along with just five other countries including this year’s host nation, France and Australia, Greece, Italy and Switzerland.

Of particular interest will be the Paralympic team whose performance during the Tokyo Games won medals across a record-breaking 18 different sports enabled them to finish in second place in the medal table with 124 medals overall, including 41 gold, 38 silver and 45 bronze. There is greater expectations they will out-do not only their own performance in Paris but excel to number one in the medal table. Team Great Britain will be sending 154 athletes to the 2024 Summer Paralympics competing from the 28th August to the 8th September 2024. This will be Great Britain’s seventeenth consecutive time competing at the Summer Paralympic Games. The reverse side of the coins are designed by Greek visual designer Charis Tsevis who specialises in in digital mosaics imagery. His inspirational design is a fitting tribute to the nation and their athletes that features an Olympic and Paralympic athlete side by side against a backdrop of the Union Flag. In a special nod to the location of the Paris 2024 Games, a silhouette of the iconic Eiffel Tower can be seen at the base of the coin. In the case of the sterling silver proof and proof piedfort strikes, the Union Jack flag is highlighted with a full colour application. The obverse depicts an effigy of HM King Charles III, designed by acclaimed sculptor Martin Jennings. The year of release 2024 and the denomination 50 PENCE are part of the legend surrounding the King’s likeness.

Both Brilliant Uncirculated base metal colour and standard versions is presented in a folder with illustrations and text describing the 2024 Paris Olympics. The silver Proof coins are encapsulated and presented in black matte cases accompanied by a numbered certificate of authenticity. The gold Proof version is presented in a custom hardwood high gloss case accompanied with a certificate of authenticity. For additional information, please visit the e-webshop of the Royal Mint.