In yet another Brexit-related farce, thousands of newly minted limited edition 50 pence coins are set to be melted down after the UK’s departure from the EU was delayed by a further three months.

Designed to signify the dawn of a new era, production of the commemorative coins was paused last week as the possibility of another delay became plausible. 

U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer Sajid Javid announced plans for a large volume of the coins to be released upon the 31st October.

This is despite former chancellor Philip Hammond’s original plans to release them as a 10,000 strong limited edition valued at £10 each.

However, due to the Prime Minister Boris Johnson being forced to accept an extension offer from the EU, the already minted coins will no longer be put into circulation. 

Bloomberg reported that an unnamed source said “hundreds of thousands of the coins had been minted already.”

The coins will feature the words “Peace, Prosperity and Friendship with all nations”, and be stamped with the new departure date – 31 January 2020.

“We will still produce a coin to mark our departure from the European Union, and this will enter circulation after we have left,” a Treasury spokesman said. 

Unsurprisingly Twitter had much to say about the situation with some seeing the bright side…

https://twitter.com/kay_1773/status/1189144610519638016

Although many were quick to highlight the costs and question whether the government allocated funds appropriately…

https://twitter.com/davidschneider/status/1189119755501867008