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Exact designs to spot on three rare coins worth as much as £145 at auction

Published on March 24, 2025 at 04:58 PM

HAVE you got a rare coin amongst your change that could net you up to £145 at auction?

The 50p coin is the most collectible in the UK – but you'll need to look out for certain designs that make it worth more money.

Stack of British one-pound coins on British banknotes.
It's worth checking your change for rare coins

Coins become more valuable if they have a low mintage, meaning not many of them have been created.

That means they'll be harder to find – but they can earn you more money if you do spot one.

They can also be worth more if they have an error in the design, such as if they're missing a small detail.

TikTok user @coincollectingwizard has explained the three designs you'll need to look out for in particular…

Kew Gardens 50p

Undated handout photo issued by the Royal Mint of the 2019 Kew anniversary 50p coin, which has been revealed as one of the rarest 50p coins in circulation ahead of the 50th anniversary of decimalisation. PA Photo. Issue date: Tuesday February 2, 2021. The famous Kew Gardens 50p remains the most coveted coin in circulation, with a mintage of just 210,000, the Mint said. See PA story MONEY Coins. Photo credit should read: Royal Mint/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
The Kew Gardens 50p is the second rarest in circulation

One of the most sought-after 50p coins in the Kew Gardens design.

It was released in 2009 to celebrate the anniversary of the opening.

Just 210,000 of these coins were minted, making it the second rarest 50p in circulation.

The reverse side, created by Christopher Le Brun,featuresthe famousChinesePagoda at Kew encircled by one exact detail – a leafy climber plant.

According to The Royal Mint, which creates British coins, the Kew Gardens 50p has become one of the most talked about collectors coins in the last 15 years.

The coin can sell for about £145 at auction, according to UK Coins.

It says it has seen recent average selling prices on eBay between £125 to £145.

However one example recently sold for a huge £156 – more than 300 times its face value.

Olympic 50p coins

Undated handout photo issued by the Royal Mint of the 2011 Olympic Football 'offside rule explained' 50p coin, which has been revealed as one of the rarest 50p coins in circulation ahead of the 50th anniversary of decimalisation. PA Photo. Issue date: Tuesday February 2, 2021. The famous Kew Gardens 50p remains the most coveted coin in circulation, with a mintage of just 210,000, the Mint said. See PA story MONEY Coins. Photo credit should read: Royal Mint/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
The Football ‘offside rule' 50p

These were released by the Royal Mint in 2011 to celebrate the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The coins have 29 different designs which each represent an Olympic or Paralympic sport.

Some are more rare than others, but all are becoming increasingly difficult to find in your change.

For example, the Football design has the lowest mintage of the set with just over one million coins minted.

It's the favourite of the Olympic designs among collectors, partly thanks to the popularity of football in the UK and partly because of its low mintage.

UK Coins says the average price for this coin is £10.

However if you find one in brilliant uncirculated condition, you can get £27 for it.

Jemima Puddle-Duck 50p

a silver coin with jemima puddle duck on it
The coin was released as part of the Beatrix Potter series in 2016

This is one of the most sought-after coins from the Beatrix Potter collection.

It was released in 2016, with 2.1 million coins minted.

The coin features the Jemima Puddle-Duck character created by beloved children's author Beatrix Potter.

Although it's one of the rarer coins in the series, it's not worth quite as much as the Kew Gardens or Olympic design 50ps.

Recent listings on eBay have sold for £6 to £9.

One example, however, sold for £52.71 because it was still in the original box.

What are the most rare and valuable coins?

It's worth remembering that a rare coin is only worth as much as someone is willing to pay for it.

For example, someone might need your coin to complete their collection so they may be willing to pay more.

If you want to sell a rare coin, you should consider factors like its condition, mintage, and whether it has any errors.

If you've got a potentially rare coin that you would like to sell at auction, you can contact The Royal Mint's Collectors Service.

This organisation has a team of experts who can help you to authenticate and value your coin.

You can contact them by email and a member of the team will get back to you.

It's worth taking a picture of your coin and attaching it to the email.

Be wary that you will be charged for this service though – the cost will vary depending on the size of your collection.

Alternatively, you could sell your coin on eBay.

You can work out how much your coin might sell for by checking other recent listings.

Make sure you adjust your search criteria so you just look at coins that have already sold.

This means you'll avoid pricing your item higher than people are willing to pay for it.

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