Coins towards the top of the scarcity index can usually sell for roughly 10 – 12 times their face value
IF you have a 50p in your purse, it’s worth checking the design to see if it could be one of the rarest, and most valuable, 50p coins in circulation.
While the rarest 50p – the Kew Gardens design – is worth up to £100 on eBay, other rare 50p coins usually achieve a premium of around 10 – 12 times face value, or £5-£6, when they are sold on.
In general, the rarer the coin the more valuable it is, and experts at Changechecker.org have created a scarcity index that tracks which circulating 50p coins are the most scarce and collectable.
The Kew Gardens 50p tops the scarcity index list. With a mintage (the number of coins issued) of just 210,000, it is the rarest coin and is the most in demand.
Changechecker estimates that you can sell the coin for up to £100, but a quick check on the online auction site suggests you can get much more – as recently sold Kew Gardens 50 coins have fetched up to £220.
