A rare 50p coin has just sold for 500 times its value price. Known as the Blue Peter 50p, it has been snapped up for £250 on eBay, with the selling location listed as Glasgow.
In 2009, the coin was distributed to mark the 2012 London Olympic Games. Released in Blue Peter branded packaging, It features a portrait of the Queen used on all coinage from 1998 to 2014.
However, the reverse design depicts a high jumper to represent the forthcoming sporting event. Designed by Florence Jackson, at the time aged eight, it was the winning entry in a competition held by TV show Blue Peter which saw 17,000 entries, according to coin collecting site 50pence.co.uk.
It is the 17th design to feature on the UK's 50p. With a low mintage figure, CoinTrust reports that only 100,000 were issued in 2009. Interestingly, this 50p was not released into circulation, only in its collectors pack.
However, more were issued in 2011 and some coins have managed to make their way into transactions. This means it could be worth checking your purse or between the sofa cushions.
Listed as "2009 Blue Peter 50p London 2012 Olympic Games Winner’s Edition Very Rare BUNC", the sale closed on July 4 after a single bid of £250 was made. Other listings of the same coin have starting prices as high as £300.
If you manage to find a Blue Peter 50p, it is important to check the date it was made. While the version produced in 2009 is rare, more were released in 2011 closer to the Olympic games, making these worth far less.
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