NHS: Royal Mint releases special 75th anniversary 50p coin

Alice Lediard (middle) is the Royal Mint designer who created the special birthday coin for the NHS

The National Health Service (NHS) turns 75 this year, and to celebrate its birthday the Royal Mint is releasing a special 50p coin in its honour.

It's not the first NHS-themed coin made by the Royal Mint, but it is the first time it will be sold as an individual collectable, instead of being part of a set.

Prices for the collectable coin start at £11, and the Royal Mint has said all proceeds from their sale will go to NHS Charities Together, an organisation which provides support to NHS staff, patients and communities.

The Mint has estimated that sales of the coins could raise £225,000.

Health Secretary Aneurin Bevan is responsible for launching the NHS in 1948. Here, he is seen talking to the NHS's very first patient - a 13-year-old girl called Sylvia Diggory at a hospital in Manchester

The coin was was created by Alice Lediard, a senior designer at the Royal Mint, and is one of the first coins to be made with King Charles's head on it.

The reverse design has words such as "dedication", "support" and "empathy" on it, to reflect the UK's gratitude towards the NHS and its staff.

And the font is very similar to the lettering used in the NHS logo.

Thi is the design that was chosen to celebrate the NHS's 75th anniversary

Alice Lediard said she was very proud to have her design chosen for the NHS coin

"Like most of the nation, I have a deep-rooted pride and appreciation for the NHS," she said.

"Both my partner and closest friends are NHS workers and worked on the frontline during the Covid-19 pandemic.

"The beating heart of the NHS is the staff who work for it, so I wanted to make sure the words encompassed everyone, presented a positive outlook, and summed up decades of healthcare provision to the British public in a personal way that everyone could associate with."

Amanda Pritchard, NHS chief executive said: "We are delighted that the Royal Mint has launched this new coin to celebrate our 75th birthday and recognise the incredible hard work and dedication of our staff, as we mark 75 years of caring for our communities and of the special role that the NHS continues to hold for the public."