COINING IT IN
THE Royal Mint celebrated half a century since the 50p coin was first released into circulation with a set of five collectable coins launched this morning - and they've already sold out.
Coin fans scrabbled to get their hands on the £90 set which features designs of the top most popular 50p pieces, including the popular Kew Gardens one which is .
5
Other commemorative designs that were reissued include the Sir Roger Bannister coin, and ones that marked 100 years of the Scouts and Girl Guides.
Matthew Dent's original Britannia design, first minted in 2008, also features the commemorative set.
Fifty pence pieces were first minted in 1969 to replace the 10 shilling note. Nowadays, new coins often feature a special design to celebrate key moments in British history.
Fans were likely to be eager to get their hands on the new Kew Gardens coin, particularly as the circulated versions of the originals sell for around £90 on average, although we reported how one sold for £160 on eBay last year.
5
5
That's because they're quite rare, topping Change Checker's scarcity index because only 210,000 were released to celebrate 150 years of the botanical gardens.
Sir Roger Bannister secured the world record for the first four minute mile and was commemorated in a coin 2004.
The coin was released over a decade before his death in 2018 - it's rare for a living person to be celebrated on a coin.
Coins celebrating 100 years of the Scouts and Girl Guides are also popular among collectors and can fetch up to six times their original value online.
Unfortunately, the coins were only available as a set directly from the Royal Mint so you're not likely to have one turn up in your change any time soon.
The full list of 50p coins which will be reissued in 2019
HERE is a full list of the 50p coins which will be reissued in 2019:
- Kew Gardens, 2009 - sells for up to £150
- Battle of Britain, 2015 - sells for up to £4.20
- Roger Bannister, 2004 - sells for up to £1.20
- Scouts, 2007 - sells for up to £1
- Battle of Hastings, 2016 - sells for up to £25
- Girl Guides, 2010 - sells for up to £3
- Victoria Cross (Medal), 2006 - sells for up to £1.95
- Victoria Cross (Heroic Acts), 2006 - sells for up to £1.99
- D-Day Landings, 1994 - sells for up to £5.50
- Britannia, 1997 to 2008 - worth its face value
5
5
If they prove popular though, the Royal Mint may consider releasing them into circulation in the future.
Nicola Howell, a director at The Royal Mint, said: "We’re delighted to be revealing the special 50p British Culture commemorative coin set to mark this historic anniversary, which features some of the nation’s most loved 50 pence pieces."
MOST READ IN MONEY
They're not the only coins due to be reissued this year - the D-Day Landings, Battle of Britain and Victoria Cross (Heroic Acts) are also due to be re-released.
A new Brexit coin has been announced by the Chancellor and it could end up being worth hundreds of pounds.
A rare Samuel Johnson 50p coin recently sold for £3,500 on eBay - here's how to spot if you've got one worth a mint.
What to do if you've found a rare coin
FIRSTLY, you need to make sure the coin is legitimate and not counterfeit.
Around one in every four old £1 coins were thought to be fake, according to the Royal Mint, so there are probably more fakers in your spare change then you realise.
The Royal Mint is unable to value a coin but it can confirm whether it is real or not. They will usually supply you with a letter to confirm this.
Once you’ve found out whether the coin is real or not, you have a number of options - either selling it through a coin dealer, at auction or on eBay.
Rare Peter Rabbit Beatrix Potter 50p coin sells for £840 on eBay – do you have one in your spare change?
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online Money team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 78 24516. Don't forget to join the for the latest bargains and money-saving advice.
Topics