Rebecca Adlington gets gold with Glasgow 2014 50p

Rebecca Adlington with the Commonwealth Games 50p piece

The 25-year-old, who won a double-gold haul at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, visited the headquarters of the Royal Mint in Llantrisant, South Wales to help strike the limited-edition gold coin, which is worth £725.

Another limited-edition version of the regular 50 pence piece has also been produced to mark the staging of the 20th Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, for which Adlington was named an official ambassador shortly before she announced her retirement from the sport. It will go into circulation in July.

The design of the coin, by Alex Loudon, features a cyclist and an athlete, as well as lettering inspired by Glasgow’s most celebrated architect, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, and a saltire.

Adlington, who also won two bronzes in the 2012 Olympics, met some of the Royal Mint experts who designed the medals for the London Games.

She said: “It was particularly special for me to visit the Royal Mint because I got to see the very building where my London 2012 medals were struck.

“I am very excited about this year’s Commonwealth Games because it’s great to have such a large-scale sporting event at home again. It gives the crowd an opportunity to show their support for the British competitors, particularly the younger athletes, and it should be a great atmosphere.

“I am particularly looking forward to commentating on the swimming and being able  to attend the opening  ceremony for the first time, because I’ve always been competing before.”