The phrase “Brexit meltdown” has been bandied around willy-nilly in headlines over the last couple of years as the convoluted process of leaving the EU drags on and on. And on.
But today is different – today those two words can legitimately be used for the first time.
Limited edition Brexit 50p coins, dated October 31 2019, are set to be shredded and melted down after the UK’s departure from the EU was delayed by three months.
An actual Brexit meltdown.
The special coins were originally designed to be minted in time for Britain leaving the trading bloc this Friday.
However, today the Treasury confirmed these coins would be recycled now that the EU has agreed a Brexit extension with the UK Government.
A HM Treasury Spokesman said: “We will still produce a coin to mark our departure from the European Union, and this will enter circulation after we have left.”
According to the Royal Mint website, precious metals, such as 50p coins, are sorted and shredded before being melted down. Metals are then purified and solidified before being turned into new products.
The cost of designing and producing the commemorative coins will be met by the Royal Mint out of its own revenues at no cost to the taxpayer.
Chancellor Sajid Javid had asked officials to look at whether it would be possible to produce the coins in volume ready for the UK’s scheduled EU leaving date of October 31.
Former chancellor Philip Hammond had planned a limited edition of around 10,000 commemorative coins to be sold to collectors for £10 each.
Javid revised the proposal for the coins to be produced for mass circulation. This was portrayed as a statement of intent that the Treasury was fully behind Brexit.
The coins will carry the words “Friendship with all nations”, but will be stamped with a new departure date — currently set to be January 31 2020.