The Rarest 50p Coin in the UK Explained

 

The Kew Gardens fifty-pence-piece has been considered the ‘rarest’ in circulation, so how much is it’s true value?

Designed by Christopher Le Brun, the Designer of the coin displays the Kew Gardens pagoda encircled by a vine with the dates “1759” and “2009” and the word “Kew” at the base.

The coin entered circulation in 2009 through post offices and banks across the UK, and it’s been exchanging hands for hundreds of pounds for over a decade.

This is due to the fact that it has a mintage of just 210,000 as opposed to a standard minting of around 5 million.

As an example, there were 22.7 million Royal Arms fifty-pence-piece coins minted in 2008 and 7.5 million produced with a Girl guiding design in 2010.

And there could possibly be one amongst your small change.

In the last week, collectors have traded them for up to £139 on eBay, and they continue to be a well sought after coin.

Those who bought the limited edition Kew Gardens fifty-pence-piece via The Royal Mint for roughly £30 eleven years ago could also be in luck as they now regularly sell for around £300. More recent editions could be worth a lot too.

The Royal Mint have said that roughly one in every 300 households in the UK could own a Kew Gardens 50p, and collectors are happy to pay a lot of money for them.

Online, most will exchange hands for around the £130 mark, depending on the condition of the coin.

Even though they never entered circulation, these coins – stamped with the year “2019” – have been known to sell for up to £74 on eBay.

“The Kew Gardens 50p is the coin that so many of collectors hope to find above all others,” a Royal Mint spokeswoman told The Mirror.

“With only 210,000 minted back in 2009, it is still the rarest 50p you will find in your change.

“With the anniversary of decimalisation fast approaching in 2021, it’s brilliant to see coin collecting remains as popular as ever as a hobby.