Latest news with #KewGardens50p
The Sun
a day ago
- Business
- The Sun
Rare 50p coin sells for more than 300 times its face value after lengthy bidding war – exact details to look out for
A RARE 50p coin has sold for more than 300 times its face value after a lengthy bidding war. The 2009 Kew Gardens coin was sold for £136.99 on eBay after one lucky bidder fought off offers from 18 others. 1 This rare find was minted in 2009, and was created to mark 250 years since the botanical gardens opened in 1759. To spot this coin, you need to look on the tails side. It features a leafy vine wrapped around a Chinese pagoda and has the word "Kew" written at the bottom. The front of this coin has an image of the late Queen Elizabeth II, with the engraver's initials, Ian Rank-Broadley, below. There are just 210,000 of these coins in circulation, making it a very rare find. That is compared to The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III 50p, which has been minted five million times. Plus, you might be able to get more than £136 for the piece. In the past, we have seen this coin sell for up to £700 on eBay. More recently, it sold for £134 on the auction website for £110 after 12 bids. But you might not always fetch such a high sum for the piece, with one seller on eBay flogging the same coin for £34 after 11 bids. Spot a Rare £1 Coin Worth Up to £500: The Key Details Every Collector Should Know The Kew Gardens piece is not the only rare coin that can be worth a pretty penny. Last week, the Blue Peter Olympic 50p piece sold on eBay for £165. It was released in 2009 ahead of the London Olympic games in 2012. The coin features someone doing the high jump on one side, a design created by eight-year-old Florence Jackson from Bristol. The final design was chosen from over 17,000 entries as part of a Blue Peter competition. How to spot rare coins and banknotes Rare coins and notes hiding down the back of your sofa could sell for hundreds of pounds. If you are lucky enough to find a rare £10 note you might be able to sell it for multiple times its face value. You can spot rare notes by keeping an eye out for the serial numbers. These numbers can be found on the side with the Monarch's face, just under the value £10 in the corner of the note. Also, if you have a serial number on your note that is quite quirky, you could cash in thousands. For example, one seller bagged £3,600 after spotting a specific serial number relating to the year Jane Austen was born on one of their notes. You can check if your notes are worth anything on eBay, just tick "completed and sold items" and filter by the highest value. This will give you an idea of what people are willing to pay for some notes But bear in mind that yours is only worth what someone else is willing to pay for it. This is also the case for coins, you can determine how rare your coin is by looking a the latest scarcity index.
Daily Record
18-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
'Never underestimate loose change' as rare 20p sells for 622 times face value
People joked online that they "gotta start checking their pockets" after the unique coin sold for over the £100 mark We are living in an increasingly more cashless society, with card and contactless considered king. But there is still a lot of buzz around some coins; their origin, what they represent, and how much they could be worth in a few years. Coins are becoming less common in daily life, which is a shame, as they hold a lot of weight. Coin collectors in particular do not tire from shouting about the beauty and uniqueness of the pieces, which is understandable. And one recent online sale has drawn even more fascination to physical currency - a rare Royal Mint 20p coin, described as "very nice and interesting," which has sold for more than 620 times its face value on eBay. The coin has a slight error, having been struck during the minting process, making it extremely valuable for collectors, according to Sidmouth Herald. The 20p piece has even been wrapped up in a bit of controversy since coming to the public's attention. Amusingly, it sparked a mini bidding war among collectors before selling for nearly £125. The description of the listing on eBay explained: "Striking machines are set so that the dies have a limited travel, this is done to stop the dies crashing into each other in the absence of a coin. "It's my understanding that this coin was struck on a badly set machine, or a trial piece used in set up. Only the higher raised detail of the dies connected, which make the lower details of the coin. "Therefore, lower fields are shiny and well formed, but raised detail is absent." It goes on: "These higher unstruck areas show the correct dull and marked finish of a pre-struck coin as a result of the polishing process. "The coin clearly shows the round nature of 20p blanks prior to being struck. A very nice and interesting error coin indeed." The coin collected 13 bids, before selling for 622 times its face value for £124.48. People were taken aback by the amount of money scooped, with one writing on X: "Wild how a 20p coin can turn into £124 just like that! Never underestimate loose change... Gotta start checking my pockets!" It comes after one expert identified what he believes to be the "rarest" 50p piece - the Kew Gardens 50p. There are just 210,000 in circulation and they can be difficult to spot for the untrained eye. In a video released on TikTok last June, @CoinCollectingWizard spoke about the rare design: "The Kew Gardens 50p hit the headlines in February 2014 when it was revealed as the most scarce 50p in circulation. "At the peak of the hype surrounding its value, some coins were exchanging hands for hundreds of pounds. This coin was reissued in 2019 as part of the 50th anniversary of the 50p celebrations, the 2019 version of this coin was a commemorative issue and did not enter general circulation. "A circulated version of the 2009 Kew Gardens 50p can easily sell for £150 today, a graded uncirculated version can sell for double this." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Daily Record
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Check your change for 'rarest' 50p piece that's the 'Holy Grail of coin collecting'
An expert has spoken about the 'ultra rare' 50p coin that collectors all want to get their hands on. While we move more and more towards a cashless - or at least mostly-cashless - society, notes and coins are becoming less common in daily life. It used to be the case that everyone would have a mixture of fivers, tenners, and coins of all descriptions in their wallets, purses, and pockets. But with card transactions dominating in-person payments, many of us have no cash on us day to day. If you do have a stash of loose change somewhere, whether at the bottom of your purse or in jar at home, it might be worth looking closely at the coins, as you may unknowingly have a rare piece among them. These sought-after coins can be worth far more than their face value, and this is especially true for 50p pieces, which can be bought for hundreds of pounds by keen collectors. Factors such as their mintage and condition will impact how much you could get for certain items. When coins are released by the Royal Mint, certain limited edition pieces have a much higher value than others. As reported by The Mirror, one expert has identified what he believes to be the "rarest" 50p piece - the Kew Gardens 50p. There are just 210,000 in circulation and, as they can be difficult to spot for the untrained eye, you may have inadvertantly had one in your possession.. There are a few things to look out for to check if you have a Kew Gardens 50p. In a video released on TikTok last June, @CoinCollectingWizard spoke about the rare design. In the clip, the TikToker - who boasts almost 250,000 followers - said: "The Kew Gardens 50p hit the headlines in February 2014 when it was revealed as the most scarce 50p in circulation. "At the peak of the hype surrounding its value, some coins were exchanging hands for hundreds of pounds. This coin was reissued in 2019 as part of the 50th anniversary of the 50p celebrations, the 2019 version of this coin was a commemorative issue and did not enter general circulation. "A circulated version of the 2009 Kew Gardens 50p can easily sell for £150 today, a graded uncirculated version can sell for double this." First launched in 2009 as part of the celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the Royal Botanic Gardens in London, it features a Chinese pagoda building. This served as a chamber for Princess Augusta, the founder of the park, with the late Queen Elizabeth II's profile on the other side. It is one of the most sought-after pieces in coin-collecting circles in the UK, with one being sold for £205 in 2023 - more than 400 times its face value. @CoinCollectingWizard continued: "Just 210,000 Kew Gardens were minted for circulation in 2009 and has become the Holy Grail of UK coin hunting. So next time you are at the shop, make sure you ask for 50p coins in your change as you just never know when this ultra rare 50p might crop up." Since the video was shared, the post racked up over 23,000 views, with hundreds of likes and dozens of comments. One user said: "Got this one!" While another added: "I have 2x 2009, took me 20 years to find them!" Speaking exclusively our sister title with Mirror, @CoinCollectingWizard added: "Spotting a fake/copy version of a Kew Gardens is normally quite obvious. "If you look under the Queen's neck there are letters IRB which is the designer's initials. If it says IRB copy then it's fake. The other way is always on the Queen's side. No detail in the Queen's hair and crown." Where to find Kew Gardens 50p coin @CoinCollectingWizard said: "Best place to find Kew Gardens is trying to get bags of 50ps from your Post Office or bank as you have a higher chance of finding one if you are looking through lots." Speaking about the most expensive version of the commemorative coin, he continued: "It's the gold proof version that originally sold for around £700 and recently £6,000 at auction." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Western Telegraph
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Western Telegraph
Royal Mint most valuable 50p coins as 10 rarest 50p revealed
We are all being urged to check our change for these valuable coins which, in some cases, are being sold for more than 400 times their face value on online auction sites such as eBay. The famous Kew Gardens 50p was recently knocked off the top spot of rarest 50p coins in the UK when the Royal Mint released the Atlantic Salmon coin. This coin was released with a mintage of just 200,000, the Royal Mint said, narrowly beating the Kew Gardens 50p which had a mintage of 210,000. Other rare designs include Olympic-themed 50ps minted in 2011. 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. Rarest 50p coins in circulation the UK? The Royal Mint recently named the Atlantic Salmon 50p as the coin as the rarest currently in circulation in the UK, with just 200,000 copies minted. The coin knocked the 'highly collectable' 2009 Kew Gardens 50p off the top spot for the first time in 15 years, the official maker of British coins said. The Kew Gardens 50p sells for £156.25 on average, but one seller received over £700 for one when they sold it on eBay. The other rarest coins stem predominantly from the 2011 Olympics, with the wrestling, football and judo coins among the most valuable. Only 1.1million of each of these coins were produced. Flopsy bunny and Peter Rabbit designs which were produced in 2018 are also highly valuable. Recommend Reading These coins - 1.4 million of which were minted - depict the characters from Beatrix Potter's novels and celebrate the life of the English writer and these sell for around £5. In 2019, 500 million coins were produced, with three new 50p designs. These included one of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, Paddington Bear at St Paul's Cathedral and the Tower of London. 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. Top 10 most valuable 50p coins, according to Royal Mint Here is a list of the top 10 most valuable coins, when they were made and how many were minted:
Scottish Sun
07-06-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Warning issued to UK households over ‘rare' 50p coins that are being sold on eBay for up to £100
The coins aren't always worth as much as they seem to be MONEY MATTERS Warning issued to UK households over 'rare' 50p coins that are being sold on eBay for up to £100 Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) EXPERTS have warned Brits to be careful after discovering "rare" 50p coins selling on eBay for hundreds of pounds. Coin collectors revealed the true value of the coins and warned would-be collectors to be vigilant. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Some "rare" coins are only worth their face value Credit: EBay 3 Coins selling for hundreds of pounds are rarely worth that much Credit: EBay Everyday Brits were warned that the coins selling for hundreds or even thousands are often worth nowhere near that much. While some coins are super rare finds, part of a low mintage of featuring mistakes, the majority are only worth their face value. A coin collecting expert who goes by the name @ shared the truth about the rare pieces. Some listings spotted by the expert on eBay had price tags of up to £100,000, a massive markup. One particular coin that is often seen listed with an eye watering price tag is the "Brexit 50p" which is not rare at all. Despite numerous listings on eBay pricing the 50p piece at upwards of £10,000 the coin is only worth its face value. Brits who are looking to get into coin collecting were warned to avoid the dodgy listings. 3 The Brexit 50p has been listed for more than £10,000 Credit:The Brexit 50p features writing on the "tails" side reading: "Peace Prosperity And Friendship With All Nations." It had a 10 million odd mintage meaning it is not rare in the slightest and only holds its face value of 50p. Another common discovery on eBay is the Mrs Tittlemouse 50p, which has been listed for £10,000 plus. Olympic Aquatics 50p coin error The coin expert again debunked the eye watering price tag explaining that the piece was only worth around £3. While rarer than the Brexit 50p the Mrs Tittlemouse 50p still isn't worth anywhere near what some sellers are asking for it. Even the rarest coins often sell for less than £1,000 with one of the rarest coins in UK circulation, the Kew Gardens 50p, selling for £800. Some collectors will pay extortionate amounts for rare pieces but coins rarely sell on eBay for the prices sellers sometimes ask for. Coins are made rare by having a low mintage, meaning only a few were printed, or by having mistakes. Currency minted with mistakes is very valuable to collectors since an exceedingly small number of coins are printed and put into circulation with errors on them. Commemorative pieces like the London Olympics coins are rare too with only a few put into circulation for a limited time. But even the Olympic coins aren't worth much more than their face value unless they have an error. To spot a rare coin Brits have been urged to check their mintage numbers before buying or selling them. Rare metal coins, such as gold bullion, have an inherently high price due to the cost of the metals they are made of.
