A RARE Kew Gardens 50p coin has sold on eBay for £161, as it is the latest to be snapped up for an eye watering figure that’s much higher than face value.
Bidders battled it out to get their hands on the coin as it is so rare and one of the most sought after in circulation.
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In any other circumstance a 50p is worth just that – but this special 50p managed to sell for 322 times more than its face value.
But £161 isn’t the most a seller has managed to bag for the unique design, as only days before, another copy sold for a whopping £250 on the online auction site.
In total, only 210,000 exist from when the coin was minted in 2009, so collectors will only come across a genuine copy once in a blue moon.
When that happens they’ll hike up the price with offers well above face value.
It took only five days for interest to peak with this particular coin, and in that time 25 bids were placed.
Bidding started at £50, so in under a week another £111 was added on to the value, which is impressive for a coin really only worth pence.
RARE COINS AND VALUABLE NOTES
How to spot one in your own change
You can spot the Kew Gardens coin in your change as it will stand out from regular 50p designs in your change.
On the reverse side of the coin it features an image of the Chinese pagoda that stands at the heart of the London attraction it’s named after.
On the obverse is the modern fourth portrait of The Queen like with any other common 50p, but that doesn’t mean the style is any less desirable to collectors.
The Kew Gardens 50p, like other commemorative style coins, will usually sell for hundreds of pounds, so you would likely make a mint if you do come across one in your own change.
That being said, a coin will only sell above face value if someone is willing to bid that much.
From one day to the next interest can change so there’s no hard and fast guarantee you’ll be minted, snapping one up.
If you look at other listings on eBay you’ll be able to determine how much your own change could go for.
But be cautious of fakes, as they’ll often show up online.
You should also always keep in mind that on eBay a buyer could pull out, which means the coin won’t have sold for the price it says it has.
But if you’re worried, or want a definitive answer to how much your change is worth, you can check your change with experts like Coin Hunter or The Royal Mint.
They’ll be able to tell you if your change is worth what others are saying or maybe more.
Rare coins and valuable notes – is yours worth a mint?
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