Hundreds of rare 50p coins worth up to £2,500 are still in circulation. The Britannia Coin Company sold the ‘lines over face’ 50p coin made to celebrate the 2012 London Olympics to an anonymous collector for the hefty price this month.
People have now been urged to given their coins 'a quick once-over' before using them. The aquatics-themed 50p was one of 29 different commemorative coins issued by The Royal Mint in 2011, with each coin paying tribute to a different Olympic sport.
However, only 600 of the ‘lines over face’ 50p coins are believed to have been issued before the design was suddenly changed. It is regarded as the rarest cupro-nickel 50p in existence and easily the most valuable according to the Manchester Evening News.
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The coin was still sealed in its original Royal Mint presentation card, with the plastic covering protecting the coin’s brilliant uncirculated finish. Jon White, Director of www.britanniacoincompany.com, explained: “The ‘lines over face’ 50p is easily the most valuable cupro-nickel coin that exists, and will make a sterling addition to this buyer’s collection.
"The coin is heralded for its rarity as only 600 were issued, making it more than worth giving your own coins a quick once-over before using them and checking behind your sofa too.
"There are so many coins with significant value to collectors, meaning you could be sitting on an undiscovered fortune if you catch a glimpse of an interesting design out of the corner of your eye.”
For aspiring collectors, seasoned veterans or those who have a sudden urge to search between their sofa cushions, the Britannia Coin Company has listed some of the most valuable cupro-nickel coins in existence.
2002 Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland £2 coin (2002)
In the build up to 2002 Commonwealth Games, the largest multi-sport event held in the UK before the 2012 London Olympics, four commemorative £2 coins were released displaying the four different flags of the constituent countries of the UK. Of the four, the Northern Irish edition of the coin is sparse, with only 485,500 released.
Undated 20p coin (2008)
The result of an unusual error by The Royal Mint in November 2008, around 250,000 pieces were struck without the date denoted on the coins. The lucrative 20p coins were the first coins in over three hundred years to enter circulation in the UK without a date. The issue arose after the old obverse (the ‘heads’ side of a coin) was used with the new reverse (the ‘tails’ side).
Olympic high jump 50p coin (2009)
Originally made available through The Royal Mint’s website as a brilliant uncirculated (BU) finish strike dated 2009, only 19,751 editions of the Olympic high jump 50p coin were sold – solidifying its place as a rare piece for the rest of time. While the coin was later released into circulation in 2011 ahead of the 2012 London Olympics, the 2009 version remains sought after by collectors in the know.
London Kew Gardens 250 th anniversary 50p coin (2009)
Commemorating the 250 th anniversary of the Kew Gardens in London, a special 50p coin was released in 2009. Only 210,000 of the pieces were issued, making them a distinct rarity in circulation. The coin’s reverse shows the beautiful Great Pagoda tower, found at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew.
Jemima Puddle-Duck 150 th anniversary 50p coin (2016)
Honouring English children’s book author Beatrix Potter in 2016, The Royal Mint released a special 50p coin showing Jemima Puddle-Duck – one of Potter’s most iconic characters – on its 150 th anniversary. Other coins were made showing Mrs Tiggy Winkle 50p and Squirrel Nutkin, but the Jemima Puddle-Duck 50p coin remains the most valuable as there were only 2,100,000 minted.
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