A RARE 50p coin has sold for an incredible £250 after sparking a fierce bidding war on eBay.
There’s a key detail to spot if you think you might have one in your change.
The coin is one of just 210,000 issued in 2009 to mark the 250th anniversary of Kew Gardens in Richmond, south-east London.
It features the famous Chinese Pagoda tower from the capital’s iconic botanical gardens, which are home to more than 30,000 plant species and are said to be the most biodiverse place on Earth.
One keen collector paid £245.08 for the coin in a “buy it now” listing – plus £3.42 postage – to secure the sought-after piece on Thursday.
That means the coin sold for nearly 500 times its original value, and is likely to have Brits checking their loose change in hope of finding one.
The coin, listed as uncirculated, came in a souvenir presentation pack explaining its design and specifications.
The gatefold pack reveals that designer Christopher Lee Brun chose to depict the Chinese Pagoda himself.
The pagoda was erected by Sir William Chambers in 1762 and, at nearly 50 metres tall, was then the largest reconstruction of a Chinese building in Europe.
The 2009 version of the coin was later reissued in 2019, but featured a newer image of Queen Elizabeth II, making it easy for collectors to tell the two apart.
What makes a coin rare?
A coin is usually classed as rare if a low number was struck or an error occurred during the manufacturing process.
The 2009 Kew Gardens 50p is valuable because only 210,000 were minted.
The same goes for the Atlantic Salmon, with only 200,000 put into circulation in 2023.
A coin is classed as an “error” piece if something went wrong during the manufacturing process and the coin was struck incorrectly.
These types of coins are few and far between, making them valuable to collectors.
How do I sell a rare coin?
If you spot a rare coin in your spare change, you can sell it on eBay, Facebook or at an auction.
If you’re selling on eBay or Facebook, make sure you post good quality pictures and check other similar coin listings to know how to price yours accurately.
You can also sell at auction, which you can organise with The Royal Mint‘s Collectors Service.
The service has a team of experts who can help you authenticate and value your coin.
What are the most rare and valuable coins?
- Five rarest coins – do you have one?
- The 13 most valuable £2 coins in circulation
- How valuable are the rarest £1 coins?
- Most rare and valuable 50p coins in circulation
- Rare and most valuable 20p coins that could be worth up to £750
- Rarest 10p coins in circulation
- Rare 2p coins revealed
- How to check if you have a rare and valuable banknote
A coin is usually classed as rare if a low number was struck or an error occurred during the manufacturing process[/caption]
