These coins could be especially valuable to collectors but only if they feature specific mistakes or dates
Brits have been urged to check their change for three seemingly ordinary coins that could be worth far more than their face value. According to an expert, these 50p coins are estimated to be valued at a combined £2,280.
However, these pieces are only valuable if they feature specific errors or dates, which makes them especially rare. Speaking to his more than 220,000 followers, a coin expert, known online as the Coin Collecting Wizard, detailed exactly what to look for.
First, he highlighted a 50p coin from 2017. This piece features an image of the Beatrix Potter character Benjamin Bunny.
Usually, this would be worth just 50p, but some versions of this coin feature an error highly sought after by collectors. “The 2017 Benjamin Bunny 50p is usually just worth face value unless you have a rare rotation error version,” the expert said.
“The error Benjamin Bunny coin has the Queen’s head printed facing the wrong direction. When a coin is flipped over the Queen’s head should be facing to the left, but on a rotation error coin, this would be different.”
He revealed you can get around £30 for this coin, which is about 60 times its face value. Then the expert alerted his followers to a coin created to commemorate the 2012 London Olympics.
This specific coin is known as the aquatics 50p and bears the image of a swimmer. But it is only worth extra cash if the wavy lines depicting water go over the swimmer’s face.
These lines are only found on the earliest versions of the coin from 2011 as later versions were changed. “If you find an aquatic 50p error coin with lines over the face, it could be worth a small fortune,” the expert said.
“A small handful of this original design were put into circulation but it was then adapted very quickly to show the face above the water.” This coin can fetch up to £2,000, he said.
He added: “With so few of the original designs out there it’s meant the coin’s value has been pushed up significantly.” Lastly he told followers to look out for another 50p coin minted to honour the 2012 Olympic Games.
The athletics coin features a child’s drawing of a high jump athlete. But you need to look for the 2009 version, which could be worth £250 or more.
“Around 2.2 million of the athletics 50p coin was minted and released into circulation in 2011,” he said. “But this earlier version was minted in 2009 and is more valuable to collectors. If you have this coin dated 2009, then you have found it and can sell it for £250+.”