UK engraves a 'Black Hole' on a 50p coin to honour Stephen Hawking

It's been a year since the renowned and profoundly influential physicist Stephen Hawking passed away. To commemorate Professor Stephen Hawking, the British Royal Mint has minted a new 50p coin, which references the late physicist's pioneering work on black holes.

The honorary coin which is available in three metal finishes, aims to celebrate the life and ground breaking achievements of Hawking, who passed away in 2018.

It features hawking's name in capital letters above a rippling drawing of concentric circles, intended to represent a black hole. The coin has been designed by a British engraver and printmaker Edwina Ellis, who wanted to "fit a big black hole on the tiny coin".

Available in gold, silver and a double thickness silver version called a piedfort, the coin will not be circulated as currency.

The coin also consist of a formula for arguably Hawking's most important scientific contribution. It references his discovery that black holes are not completely black, and instead emit radiation, means eventually they evaporate and disappear. This radiation is named after the physicist as Hawking Radiation. 

Introducing the coin, the Royal Mint said, "Hawking's radiation was an unexpected but highly influential development". The organisation further added, "His discovery led physicists to the unavoidable conclusion that information is lost as a black hole forms and subsequently evaporates". 

"This is the black hole information paradox, one of the greatest unsolved problems in theoretical physics", it continued.

The new 50p coin is the latest addition in a series of scientists honoured by the UK coinage, including Charles Darwin in 2009 and Issac Newton in 2017.

"Hawking's popularisation of science and breakthrough work on black holes stand as one of the greatest achievements and significant contributions to humanity", said the Royal Mint.

The general public can purchase the coin from the Royal Mint website.