Machines which took the old 50p coin

[Arran]

I have a collection of old 50p coins. I think I have every year, except 1992, including the rare 1985 and uncommon 1970.

I also have old 50p electric meters.

[Richard1978]

I have a 1994 50p which I kept hold of.

[Arran]

What I said was mass production of the old 50p coin ceased following the introduction of the pound coin.

62.8 million 50p coins were minted in 1983.
Nothing in 1984.
682,103 were minted in 1985 (the only example for circulation with Britannia and the Maklouf head) making them one of the rarest coins you would find in your change.
109,000 were minted in 1992 commemorating the 25th Anniversary of the UK's accession to the EU.
6,705,520 were minted in 1994 commemorating 50th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings. A coin that only circulated for 4 years.

Approximately 23% of all old 50p coins in circulation in 1997 were minted in 1969.

[George 1978]

I didn't know that the £1 coin literally replaced the 50p coin when it came to new coins being minted - pity that they went smaller years ago, Waggon Wheels-style, otherwise I would have searched my wallet to find one.

[Richard1978]

The price of a packet of 20 cigarettes was about 32p in 1974, increasing to about 78p in 1981.

https://hansard.parliament.uk/common...odsAndServices

There must have been a time during the 1970s when cigarette vending machines would dispense a packet for 50p. By 1982 machines would have taken two 50p coins.

Coin operated washing machines probably took 50p coins in the 1980s. Any ideas on the price of a wash?

The machine I mentioned above was seen about 1986. so £1.50 sounds right for a pack of 20. Sometimes the price of cigarettes in machines were rounded up to the nearest easy to handle price, but had loose change taped to the packets.

I remember someone saying they had a machine where they worked which originally dispensed packs of 10 cigarettes for a Pound coin, but rather than adjust the price the packets became smaller at first.

[Arran]

The price of a packet of 20 cigarettes was about 32p in 1974, increasing to about 78p in 1981.

https://hansard.parliament.uk/common...odsAndServices

There must have been a time during the 1970s when cigarette vending machines would dispense a packet for 50p. By 1982 machines would have taken two 50p coins.

Coin operated washing machines probably took 50p coins in the 1980s. Any ideas on the price of a wash?

[Richard1978]

Did the drinks can dispensing machines have all metal cases rather than a glass or plastic front panel? I can vaguely remember machines with all metal cases that dispensed only one variety of drink that were found in places like theme parks.

I was verbally informed about an old 50p operated turnstile to a room in a cathedral containing displays of silver chalices and other ornaments. It was in use during the 1980s and early 1990s.

Also a vending machine in a leisure centre during the 1980s for things like rubber swimming hats.

The drinks machines I'm thinking of were the plastic fronted ones, with a backlit Coca-cola logo on.

Also I assume there were condom & tampon dispensing machines in toilets at one time that only took 50p coins.

[Arran]

Did the drinks can dispensing machines have all metal cases rather than a glass or plastic front panel? I can vaguely remember machines with all metal cases that dispensed only one variety of drink that were found in places like theme parks.

I was verbally informed about an old 50p operated turnstile to a room in a cathedral containing displays of silver chalices and other ornaments. It was in use during the 1980s and early 1990s.

Also a vending machine in a leisure centre during the 1980s for things like rubber swimming hats.

[Richard1978]

I remember some cigarette machines in pubs in the 1980s would take 3 50ps for a pack of 16.

Some pool tables in the 1990s would take on 50p on one of those sliding metal plate coin mechanisms, which could also take 2 20ps & a 10p.

Some drink can dispensing machines in the 1990s.

[Arran]

Mass production of the old 50p coin ceased in 1983 following the introduction of the pound coin. The old 50p coin was demonetised on 28 February 1998.

Can anybody remember which machines took only the old 50p coin and no other coins?

The machines I remember are:

Electric meters - from the late 1970s to 1998.
The H type stamp vending machine. Originally one 50p, later two 50p.
Lockers that did not return the coin when they were opened.
The grab the prize game in amusement arcades - most had been increased to £1 after 1990.
Some arcade game machines - especially the ones with fibreglass cars and motorbikes, or light guns.