I see what you mean about the coin similarities. Our [not - so lovely Queen] on both. Sorry - I am not a royal-fan. I also notice that our 50p is a
Heptagon and your 50 cent is a
Dodecagon So I'd spot the difference - just on that alone. I understand that the European union are desperate to get everyone to join. I remember Richard Branson on the news explaining how much it is costing his business, by the United Kingdom not opting for the Euro. It was a sizeable amount if I remember. But that is easy for him to say. Try asking an old man/woman in their 70's who remember our old money and then had to deal with decimilisation and now have to think about Euro - No Thanks!!! I don't want it in my lifetime - but like you say, in the end - we must all comply to what the big men at the top dish out