During the Berlin International Coin Show this year, the Royal Mint is launching its official London 2012 Olympic Games coin programme, and adds to the excitement which already surrounds London 2012 by revealing an exciting new series of coins, available from April 2009.
There will be a Countdown series of United Kingdom £5 coins struck for collectors in Brilliant Uncirculated quality and also made available in gold and silver to Proof standard with designs including athletic imagery and the official London 2012 logo. These coins will be offered annually over the next four years during the run up to London 2012. There will also be an 18-coin silver Proof collection, which is a celebration of the mind, body and spirit of Britain. The coins will represent a long-held tradition of craftsmanship and design excellence but their true value lies in the memories they will evoke of such a memorable occasion.

Olympics coin designers go for gold

(Reuters) - British athletes kicked off a competition on Tuesday looking for creative minds to design millions of 50 pence coins for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

The Royal Mint Design Competition was launched in Trafalgar Square by jump champion Jonathan Edwards and five other Olympic and Paralympic medal winners - Giles Long, Karen Pickering, Nick Gillingham, Danny Crates, Ian Rose and Anna Hennings.

Edwards, who won a triple jump gold medal at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, said: "This is an amazing opportunity for the whole nation to be part of London 2012 in a lasting, memorable way."

Royal Mint, the oldest coin maker in the world, organised the competition and will produce the Olympic coins.

Its Chief Executive Andrew Stafford said: "We are proud to be involved in this monumental event and to be able to involve the public in the creation of these celebratory coins, which will be found in the nation's change for many years to come."

Judges will select 29 designs showing different Olympic and Paralympic sports. They will be featured on the back of millions of 50 pence pieces from March 2010.

The competition is open to UK residents over the age of 13 and winners will receive 1,000 pounds in cash and a gold coin featuring their design.