Check your change - Royal Mint reveals 10 rarest 50p coins (2024)

FAQs

Check your change - Royal Mint reveals 10 rarest 50p coins? ›

In 2022, the Royal Mint revealed the most valuable 50p coin ahead of the golden anniversary of decimalisation in 1971. The rarest is the Kew Garden 50p coin, which was designed to mark the 250th anniversary of the gardens in 2009. Only 210,000 coins were ever minted in this design.

In 2022, the Royal Mint revealed the most valuable 50p coin ahead of the golden anniversary of decimalisation in 1971. The rarest is the Kew Garden 50p coin, which was designed to mark the 250th anniversary of the gardens in 2009. Only 210,000 coins were ever minted in this design.

One of the most important factors in deciding a coin's rarity and value is mintage – how many of a certain coin were issued. Unique coins with faults, like being struck twice can be very valuable, as they are sought after by collectors.

The Kew Gardens remains the most coveted coin, with a mintage of just 210,000 but it's always exciting to find a special design in your change. As we approach the 50th anniversary of decimalisation, we are proud that this iconic work of art remains in the nation's pocket.”

And because there's only a limited amount they can sell for multiple times their face value. In some cases, extremely rare 50p pieces have sold for a whopping £950. So it's definitely worth a root around in your purse or wallet to see if you got anything worth potentially hundreds of pounds.

Consign Your Coins to Sell in a Royal Mint Auction

The Royal Mint's regular auctions provide a great opportunity to offer your coins to a large buying audience. Selling in a Royal Mint auction can help make sure you get a fair price for your coins while being confident they are going to a good new home.

Whilst a fair few coins haven't moved on our 50p index, the ones that have are making some huge jumps! Of course, at the top of the index is a non-mover – the Kew Gardens 50p, closely followed by the Olympic Football 50p which has also defended it's position in second place.

What is the rarest £1 coin? According to coin database Change Checker, the 2011 Scotland: Edinburgh City £1 coin is the rarest to have been released, with a mintage of under a million. It depicts the circular coat of arms of Edinburgh and sells for about £10 on eBay.

How do I find out if I have a rare coin? ›

One of the easiest ways to tell if a coin is rare is to check the date. If the coin is from before 1800, it's likely rare. Coins minted in the 19th century are also generally considered rare, with a few exceptions. Coins from the 20th century are less likely to be rare, but there are still some that meet the criteria.

Mintages and Production Changes: The rarity of certain half dollars can be traced back to limited mintages and significant production changes over the years. For instance, early issues like the 1794 Flowing Hair Half Dollar had minimal mintage due to the challenges of coin production during that era.

Geometrically, the shape of the coin forms an equilateral-curve heptagon, or Reuleaux polygon, a curve of constant width, meaning that the diameter is constant across any bisection. In 1997 the 50p coin was reduced in both diameter and thickness and the older coins were removed from circulation.

The famous Kew Gardens 50p remains the most coveted coin in circulation, with a mintage of just 210,000, the Mint said. Other rare designs include Olympic-themed 50ps minted in 2011.

However, other collectible coins were minted purposely during the Queen's reign. The Kew Gardens coin was released in 2009, and it was worth 50p and celebrated the landmark. The front showcases the Garden's Chinese Pagoda and has the Queen Elizabeth portrait on its obverse side.

We will quote to buy your coins and bars at 98% of our current gold bid price if stored within The Vault™. Whilst previously we only offered the option to sell bullion which was stored in our on-site vault, we now offer investors the chance to sell bullion which was stored or purchased elsewhere.

The coin experts also recommend looking out for a Royal Arms 50p coin with the date of 2017, as only 1.8 million entered circulation that year. While they would not be worth as much as £60, they would certainly be worth more than 50p, with one selling for £5.

The specification was changed for 1997 with the older, larger coins removed from circulation. Today, you are very unlikely to come across an old 50p in your change and if you did you would not be able to spend it in a shop. Since they can be hard to find, these pre-97 50ps are sought after by change collectors.

TikTok user @CoinCollectingWizard says the new Atlantic Salmon 50p. is in demand with collectors. According to Coin Hunter, an estimated 500,000 of these coins were minted in 2023 featuring King Charles III on the obverse, and some sources say they were never meant to be released into circulation.