An artist has defaced a new Brexit 50p by engraving it with the European stars to make it ‘reflect both sides of the debate’.

Sam Harris, 20, got the idea last week when he first saw the brand new UK 50p had been issued to mark Britain’s exit from the European Union.

He got one from a coin collecting friend and had a metal stamp specially made featuring the twelve five-pointed stars.

The artist from north London used a hammer to mark the face of the coin which he plans to later put back into circulation.

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He tried to get a British crafter to make the stamp – but after he was quoted £150 he found a company from Europe who could make one for £25 in a matter of days.

He said: “I do political art and this was just another piece.

“I’ve only made one at the moment.

“I’m making the coin two sided.

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“I’m using it as a way to say there are two sides to the Brexit debate.

“Stamping the stars is me making a one sided coin, two sided, like things should be.”

Last year Sam took part in a large scale exhibition which involved defacing bank notes, called Rebel Not Taken.

“I thought this would be a good continuation,” he said.

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“There is a history of protesting in this way and this is a continuation of that protest.

“Supposedly it’s illegal to deface money, but I think it’s just an archaic law.”

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