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The Royal Mint has aimed to clear up one of life’s eternal mysteries with its latest design – a 50p which bears an explanation of football’s offside rule.

The design is one of a collection intended to showcase each of the 29 Olympic and Paralympic sports to be contested during London 2012.

The Mint, headquartered in Llantrisant in Rhondda Cynon Taf, has already been heavily involved in the Olympics having struck the official victory medals.

This year’s Olympics will see freshly-formed Team GB football teams compete against the very best from around the world, with some matches being held in Cardiff.

And the offside coin – complete with a helpful diagram – was designed in homage to the beautiful game by London sports journalist Neil Wolfson. (corr)

He said he wanted to clear up the age-old confusion for the legions of non-football fans who had spent years in the dark over the rule.

He said: “I’m a football fan, I followed the Premier League since its inception and if I had 50p for every time someone had asked me to explain the offside rule I’d be a very rich man.”

Susannah Lee, a spokeswoman for the Royal Mint, said there were half a million of the offside coins in circulation and reaction to them had been “phenomenal”.

She said: “It’s an unusual and eye catching design and has generated significant interest from collectors and sports fans as a result.

“The coin depicts a clear representation of the offside rule which I think is useful and easily understood for anyone who happens to find it in their purse or pockets.

“There are currently half a million of the offside rule 50ps in circulation.

“Coins are introduced into circulation according to demand and the offside rule sporting 50p entered circulation just before Christmas”

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