By Evann Clelland

The recent extension of the date for the UK leaving the EU has affected not only the people of Britain, but also their money. The Royal Mint was asked to produce a new 50 pence piece to commemorate the UK’s exit from the EU on the October 31. However, as the date has been extended to the January 31, these coins have been rendered useless. These coins that have the October date, have been recycled by being sorted and shredded before being melted down.

These coins had a similar design to the coin that was meant to be released on march 29, with the words: “Peace, prosperity and friendship with all nations 31st October 2019” written on one side of the 50 pence piece.

A HM Treasury Spokesman has said: “we will still produce a coin to mark our departure from the European Union”. Luckily for the people, the cost of designing and producing commemorative coins is being met out of the HM Treasury own revenues, at no cost to the taxpayer.

As the UK remain unclear on whether it will actually leave the EU on the date intended, it is unknown when these coins will enter circulation. While the UK remains on the edge of its seat about leaving the EU, at least the public knows that a shiny new coin will be waiting at the end of the tunnel.