Commodity Online
LONDON: Olympic fever has started gripping London with the country’s campaign for the 2012 London Olympics received a boost following the announcement of a competition to design a 50p coin to mark the vent.

All  Britons have been invited to create designs. The competition is being run the Royal Mint and the winners will receive a gold coin featuring their design.

Launched in Trafalgar Square, a total of 29 entries will be selected to win the Royal Mint Design Competition and designs will feature on the back of 50p pieces minted from March 2010.

Royal Mint, said the company hopes to involve public in the creation of these celebratory coins, which will be found in the nation’s change for many years to come.

Open to all UK residents over the age of 13, winners of the contest will be awarded 1,000 pound cash and a gold coin depicting their design.

A competition has also been launched by BBC children’s show Blue Peter to give six to 12-year-olds the opportunity to design a coin for athletics ahead of the 2012 Olympics.