YOU might have a rare 50p coin hiding in your change that you’ve not spotted before – including one celebrating Christopher Ironside.
Certain special edition coins are sought by collectors – meaning your spare change could make you a profit.
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Christopher Ironside was an English painter and coin designer born in 1913.
He designed the reverse side of six new denominations during decimalisation, which saw a new system of currency come into effect.
His famous 50p design shows Britannia seated next to a lion, holding a trident in her right hand and olive branch in her left.
It was the first heptagonal-shaped coin to be issued and was the only such coin in circulation in the world.
Ironside’s design stayed in circulation for 40 years – meaning there’s a good chance you’ll have had a coin with his work on at some point.
In 2013, The Royal Mint produced a Christopher Ironside 50p coin to mark 100 years since his birth.
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The commemorative piece features Ironside’s very own Royal Arms design, which came runner-up to his Britannia piece in the competition to create the new 50p’s reverse.
How rare is the Christopher Ironside 50p?
In total, there are 7million of these special edition 50ps in circulation according to Change Checker.
This is in comparison to approximately 200million regular 50p coins in circulation overall.
The coin experts rank special edition pieces on a scarcity index scale to determine how rare or common each one is.
The higher the number, the rarer a coin is – and the more likely it is to make a bigger profit.
Change checker labelled this coin just a 2 on its scarcity index – meaning it sits at the common end of the spectrum.
How much is the Christopher Ironside 50p worth?
Due to its commonality, eBay sellers aren’t flogging it for a fortune.
The most common asking price on eBay ranges from 60p to £1 – though one seller did make a profit of £38.50.
The eBay user listed the coin for £4.99, and piqued the interest of six bidders.
The coin sparked a small bidding war, and 23 bids were made in total with the final offer of £39 being the winner.
But note, buyers can pull out of sales which means an item hasn’t sold for the price it says it has.
If you think you may have a rare coin amongst your change, you can run it past experts like The Royal Mint and Coin Hunter to determine its value.
Interest in coins can come and go, meaning the cash you’ll make could change on a regular basis.
Or if you think you’ve spotted a rare coin online for a steal, be wary that it may be a fake.
Alongside special edition coins, error coins can also make a mint – like this Kew Gardens 50p that sold for £144.
Another 50p coin that may tickle a collector’s fancy is the commemorative Roger Bannister piece.
We take a look at the 10 rarest and most valuable coins worth up to £400.
Rare coins and valuable notes – is yours worth a mint?
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