We are all being urged to check our change, as we could be sitting on a fortune we didn’t even know about. The Royal Mint has revealed its top ten rarest 50 pence coins currently in circulation. Since moving to pounds and pence in 1971, more than 70 variations of the 50p coin have been minted, including several rare designs which could be worth a lot more than 50p.
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. What makes a coin valuable? The 50 pence piece has become the most valued and collected coin in the UK, with many collectable designs appearing on its heptagonal canvas.
Its 27.5mm diameter makes it the largest of any British coin, and allows space for decorative pictures. It has often been used to celebrate big events over the past 50 years of British history.
The rarest coins tend to be of the greatest value, with the mintage (number of coins with each design made) being the fundamental attraction for collectors. Along with the design, other aspects of the coin which increase value are the condition of the coin and whether it has an error in its design. The way in which it is sold can also determine the coin’s value - while some coin collectors will bid vast amounts of money on eBay or at auction, others opt for more robust valuations by selling via a coin dealer.
Rarest 50p coins in circulation the UK? The rarest is the Kew’s .
