A man has sold a rare 50p coin featuring Paddington Bear for £1,500. The coin said to be the 14th rarest 50p, featured the famous bear outside Buckingham Palace waving a Union Flag.
According to Change Checker's Mintage figures index, the Paddington at the Station 50p is the most sought-after of all the Paddington Bear coins, with just over 5million put into circulation.
The eBay listing shows one bid on the coin for £1,500, reports GlasgowLive.
Other coins featuring the bear also have designs with Paddington standing outside The Station, The Tower of London and St. Paul’s Cathedral. In 2018, The Royal Mint announced that two 50p coin designs featuring the beloved bear would enter UK circulation.
The release coincided with the 60th anniversary of the much-loved character, who was first introduced to the nation in 1958 in a book written by Michael Bond called A Bear Called Paddington.
The coin designs depict the Peruvian bear in two locations from his adventures – sitting on his suitcase at Paddington station and on a day out at Buckingham Palace.
The Royal Mint had previously released collectors’ versions of Paddington coins for people to buy, with prices ranging from £10 to £60.
The Royal Mint has revealed the rarest 50p coins in circulation.The famous Kew Gardens 50p remains the most coveted coin in circulation, with a mintage of just 210,000, the Mint said.
Other rare designs include Olympic-themed 50ps minted in 2011. In 2019 more than 500 million coins were released into circulation, including three new 50p designs celebrating Arthur Conon Doyle’s fictional detective Sherlock Holmes, and Paddington Bear at St Paul’s Cathedral and the Tower of London.
The Royal Mint’s director of UK currency Mark Loveridge said: “The Kew Gardens (50p) remains the most coveted coin, with a mintage of just 210,000, but it’s always exciting to find a special design in your change.”
Here are the rarest 50p designs in circulation, with their year and their total mintage, according to the Royal Mint:
1. 2009 Kew Gardens, 210,000
2. 2011 Olympic Wrestling, 1,129,500
=3. 2011 Olympic Football, 1,161,500
=3. 2011 Olympic Judo, 1,161,500
5. 2011 Olympic Triathlon, 1,163,500
=6. 2018 Peter Rabbit, 1,400,000
=6. 2018 Flopsy Bunny, 1,400,000
8. 2011 Olympic Tennis, 1,454,000
9. 2011 Olympic Goalball, 1,615,500
10. 2011 Olympic Shooting, 1,656,500
