The coin in question – the Kew Gardens 50p coin – was released in 2009 to mark 250 years since Kew Gardens opened in 1759 and only a few hundred thousand were minted
A rare 50p coin has just sold for £139 on eBay and you could potentially have one in your loose change.
The coin in question – the Kew Gardens 50p coin – was released in 2009 to mark 250 years since Kew Gardens opened in 1759. The 50p coin features the Chinese Pagoda at the Royal Botanic Garden on the tail side with the Queen’s face as normal on the other.
Only a few hundred thousand coins were released into circulation with the Royal Mint previously describing the coin as the rarest and most sought-after 50p coins in circulation. It’s estimated that between 210,000 and 300,000 Kew Gardens 50p coins were minted overall.
The eBay seller clearly knew the 50p coin they held was an important one as they listed it on March 31 with a starting price of £100. The item description confirmed that it was a “circulated” coin so the seller potentially could have come across the coin in their spare change.
Even with the high starting price, a bidding war soon commenced as four bidders battled it out over the next few days with 13 bids being placed. The listing closed on April 3 and the winning bid sat at £139. The winner also paid £4.99 for economy delivery which rounded up the cost to £143.99.
This case is a reminder that it’s always important to check your change as you never know what might find its way in there. If you find yourself in possession of a rare coin you may want to follow others and sell it. However, selling a coin on eBay is never guaranteed and a coin is only ever worth what someone is willing to pay for it.
If you are a collector, then you should also keep in mind that fake coins can appear online too, so always be wary before handing over any cash. Websites and Facebook groups from change experts like Coin Hunter can help you work out if a coin is the real deal or not. You can also get coins verified by the Royal Mint.
Alongside this, Brits should be aware that another coin – which is very similar – is in circulation but does not fetch as much. The Royal Mint reissued another batch of the Kew Gardens coins in 2019 to celebrate 50 years of the 50p. Sadly, this coin will not give you a three-figure payout but it could sell for between £70 and £80 on eBay if you found the right buyer.
