2006 AD., United Kingdom, Elizabeth II, 150th anniversary of the Victoria Cross medal circulating commemorative, Royal Mint, 50 Pence, KM 1057.

United Kingdom, Elizabeth II, engravers Ian Rank-Broadley (obv.) and Claire Aldridge (rev.), 150th anniversary of the Victoria Cross medal circulating commemorative, Royal Mint, Llantrisant, Wales, 2006 AD.,
50 Pence (ø 27,3 mm / 7,89 g), copper-nickel (75% copper, 25% nickel), 8,00 g. theor. mint weight, mintage 12.087.000 , axis medal alignment ↑↑ (0°), plain edge, an equilaterally curved heptagon (7-angular or 7-sided shape),
Obv.: ELIZABETH · II · D · G REG · F · D · 2006 / IRB , crowned head of Elizabeth facing r., 4th portrait (wearing the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara), engraver´s initials below truncation.
Rev.: 29 / JAN / 1856 // {CA...} / FOR VALOUR / VC / FIFTY / PENCE , depictions of the obverse and reverse of a Victoria Cross with the date 29 JAN 1856 in the centre of the reverse of the Cross, the letters VC to the right and the value FIFTY PENCE below, engraver´s monogram left below.
KM 1057 ; Spink H15 .

(fromcirculation in 2018)

Year / Mintage / Details
2006 12.087.000
2006 50,000 proof
2007 ? proof
2009 5,000 proof

The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest award of the British honours system. It is awarded for gallantry "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces. It may be awarded posthumously. It was previously awarded to Commonwealth countries, most of which have established their own honours systems and no longer recommend British honours. It may be awarded to a person of any military rank in any service and to civilians under military command although no civilian has received the award since 1879. Since the first awards were presented by Queen Victoria in 1857, two thirds of all awards have been personally presented by the British monarch. These investitures are usually held at Buckingham Palace.

The VC was introduced on 29 January 1856 by Queen Victoria to honour acts of valour during the Crimean War. Since then, the medal has been awarded 1,358 times to 1,355 individual recipients.

More on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_Cross