COLLECTORS may want to get their claws into the 50p coin commemorating the popular children’s book, The Gruffalo.
Coins featuring famous literary characters have generated a string of new fans – meaning your spare change could be worth more than you thought.
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If you haven’t heard of The Gruffalo, you may as well be living under a rock in a deep dark forest – much like the character in the infamous story.
The popular rhyming tale was written by Julia Donaldson and published in 1999, over two decades ago.
But it’s a tale that’s stood the test of time, and one that has sold over 13 million copies in 59 editions worldwide.
In 2019, The Royal Mint issued a pair of commemorative 50p coins to celebrate the story 20 years on.
But unlike other literature inspired coins, no Gruffalo and Mouse 50p pieces ever entered general circulation.
And it’s worth noting that uncirculated coins cannot be spent – meaning they are solely a collectible item.
The first 50p nod to the book featured The Gruffalo’s head up close – warts and all.
While the second 50p Gruffalo edition shows the entire beast standing in front of a mouse, who is the protagonist of the story, in the deep dark forest, designed by Magic Light Pictures.
Fans of the fictional tale could buy the brilliant uncirculated (BU) piece directly from The Royal Mint for a tenner – which is now unavailable.
Different editions of the Gruffalo and Mouse 50p were also up for grabs, including the Gruffalo and Mouse 50p Gold coin.
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With only 600 gold edition Gruffalo coins minted, The Royal Mint had it listed for a whopping £1,065.00 – and it sold out.
Similarly, the silver proof version of the coin sold out at The Royal Mint in just a few hours after its release a couple years ago according to Change Checker.
How much is the Gruffalo and Mouse 50p worth?
We had a look at Ebay to see what sellers were listing their special edition Gruffalo coins for, and we found one seller who made £26.
This means the user made a profit of £16, assuming they bought the coin for £10.
They originally listed the item for just 1p, and a small bidding war soon followed.
A total of six people made a bid over the course of 10 days, and the winning bid took the coin for £26.
Though it’s worth noting that bidders can pull out of sales, meaning the item hasn’t sold for the price it says it has.
Other listings made roughly £10, meaning sellers would have just made back their money if they originally bought the coin for a tenner.
Can I make a profit from my coins?
If you’re thinking of selling a special edition, rare, or error coin, you could make a mint.
The rarer the piece, the higher it is likely to sell for.
You can use Change Checker’s website to determine how rare your coin is with its scarcity index.
Other experts like Coin Hunter and The Royal Mint will also be able to tell you if you have a fortune sitting in your wallet.
Rare coins and valuable notes – is yours worth a mint?
Beatrix Potter is another renowned children’s author who wrote the famous book, The Tale of Peter Rabit, and The Royal Mint produced a series of 50p coins to celebrate the characters.
Read more on The Sun
But it’s not just literary edition coins that stir up a fuss – collectors are also on the lookout for Olympic 50ps worth up to £570.
According to an expert, the value of the Tokyo Olympic 50p coins could rise.
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