A new 50p coin has been unveiled by The Royal Mint to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

Ahead of events next month that will mark eight decades since the Normandy Landings an official coin is being released that pays tribute to Allied troops.

The reverse - or tails - of the new 50p piece shows soldiers getting off a landing craft and onto the beaches of Normandy with fighter aircraft looming in the skies above them.

The design, created by David Lawrence with support from Imperial War Museums, also has the inscription ‘D-DAY 6 JUNE 1944 UTAH OMAHA GOLD JUNO SWORD’ which were the code names given to the five assault beaches that formed part of Operation Overlord.

In the early hours of June 6, 1944, troops from the United Kingdom, United States, Canada and other Allied nations stormed five beaches in northern France, aiming to break through Hitler’s Atlantic Wall defences.

Known as D-Day - events on that date marked the beginning of the eventual liberation of Europe.

Rebecca Morgan, Director of Commemorative Coin at The Royal Mint said: “Coins have long served as reminders of pivotal moments in history.

“We are proud to unveil this tribute to the courage and resilience of British and Allied troops eight decades ago, which will serve as a permanent reminder of their sacrifices and bravery.”

The official 50p coin is available to purchase via The Royal Mint’s website and is expected to be exceptionally popular with both coin collectors and those interested in military history.

To mark its release French sand artist Jehan-Benjamin Tarin has also recreated the D-Day 80 coin design on ‘Gold’ beach, where nearly 25,000 men from the British 50th Division landed in 1944 during the operation.

Thousands of armed forces personnel, D-Day veterans and members of the public will take part in special events both in Normandy and Portsmouth this June to mark the 80th anniversary.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will lead the nation’s tributes.

He said: “The country will pay tribute to the heroes who fought against the odds to liberate Europe 80 years ago.

“We can never forget those who sacrificed so much to defend the freedom of the UK and our closest allies.”