BRITS have been urged to rifle in their pockets and check down the backs of sofas, after a rare coin sold for 300 times its value.
Cash is being used less and less in Britain, with some companies even now refusing to take cash payments.
Could you have a rare coin amongst your spare change?[/caption]
A Kew Gardens 50p recently sold for £157[/caption]
But although many prefer the convenience of contactless cards and see loose change as an annoyance, it can actually be extremely valuable.
The rarest coin currently in active circulation is His Majesty King Charles III’s 50p coin, depicting the Atlantic Salmon, with just 200,0000 of the coins back in 2023.
Following close behind, the Kew Gardens 50p, released in 2009, is the second rarest coin, with 210,000 in active circulation.
The highly sought-after collectable, which features the Kew Gardens pagoda, recently caused a storm on eBay, with a 25 bid showdown resulting in one of the rare coins being sold for £157, which is over 300 times its value.
It is worth checking your piggy bank and sorting through any spare change for the coin, as it could end up earning you enough for a posh meal or a flight abroad.
However, the Royal Mint warned that the coin may be tricky to find in your purse, as they are often snapped up by collectors.
“Nothing gets people excited quite like this original 2009 design”, it said.
“Just 210,000 were released into circulation and with almost all of them in private hands, the chances of coming across one in your change are slim.”
It added: “The venerable institution depicted on the Kew Gardens 50p coin is the nation’s most famous royal botanical garden.
“The reverse design, created by Christopher Le Brun RA, features the famous Chinese Pagoda at Kew with a decorative leafy climber twining in and around the tower.
“Demand for the 50p denomination was not high at the time of release into circulation which explains the low mintage of this particular design.”
The Atlantic Salmon 50p is also a highly sought-after collector’s item, and often sells for huge sums on eBay.
Last week, an Atlantic Salmon coin sold on eBay for a whopping £69, after a fierce 16 bid showdown.
On October 7 one coin sold for £164 with six bidders fighting for the prize.
Most rare and valuable 50p coins
WE reveal the Royal Mint’s most rare and valuable 50p coins in circulation.
Triathlon
Minted in 2011, the Triathlon 50p depicts the same sport which featured in the 2012 Olympics.
There are more than 1,160,000 of the coins in circulation.
With over 200million 50ps circulating in the UK, that makes this coin quite a rare find.
The highest recent sale we’ve found on eBay recently was £30 on June 21.
Judo
Judo is a popular sport that involves grappling with your opponent.
But despite the design, it’s not so easy to get a hold of this coin, of which there are just 1,161,500 in circulation.
The piece was designed by David Cornell after he won a national competition.
It was minted in 2011 and the highest bid we’ve seen on eBay was for £17.95 on June 21.
Wrestling
Wrestling was one of the first Olympic sports so it’s not surprising that it features on one of the 50p pieces.
The 2011 coin was designed by Roderick Enriquez, a graphic designer from Hammersmith, London.
We’ve seen it sell for as much as £15 online so is worth digging around for.
In recent months, one was sold on eBay for £11.95 on June 18.
Football
Of all the coins created to commemorate the 2012 Olympic Games, the 50p Football is among the rarest.
It features an explanation of the controversial offside rule on it, with 1,125,000 produced.
One sold for £20 on eBay on June 11, although it has been known to go for as much as £75 in the past.
Kew Gardens
The Kew Gardens 50p is the rarest of all the 50p pieces, with only 210,000 in circulation.
They have been known to sell for as much as £895 on eBay before.
The design was created by Christopher Le Brun RA and features the famous Chinese Pagoda with a leafy chamber that twists around the tower.
The coin often sparks the interest of new coin collectors due to its rarity.
The highest sale we found in recent weeks was £142 on June 22 with 23 bids.
Another sold for £147 on December 16 with a whopping 37 bids.
If you’re ever unsure of how much a coin should be sold for, it helps to look at what prices other people are listing.
You can also run it through Change Checker’s Scarcity Index to get a sense of its value.
How to Sell A Rare Coin
If you’re lucky enough to find a rare coin amongst your spare change, you can sell them through online marketplaces such as eBay.
You can also sell coins via auction, through the Royal Mint Collector’s Service.
If you choose to do it this way, a team of experts will authenticate and value your coin, and advise you on how to sell.
