It’s estimated that between 210,000 and 300,000 Kew Gardens 50p coins were minted. So, although the chances are slim, there could be one hanging around in your loose change
A 50p coin has sold for nearly £150 on eBay – and you could potentially have one in your loose change.
The 50p coin was not normal sadly, but was an incredibly rare and sought-after coin for collectors according to the Royal Mint. The coin in question was the Kew Gardens 50p coin, first released in 2009. The coin commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, London. The design features the famous Chinese Pagoda that is located within the gardens
Only a few hundred thousand coins were released into circulation. It’s estimated that between 210,000 and 300,000 Kew Gardens 50p coins were minted. So, although the chances are slim, there could be one hanging around in your loose change.
One person was lucky enough to come across one and listed on eBay this month on May 5. The coin was listed under: “2009 Kew Gardens 50p – Circulated – 100% Genuine – Rare Fifty Pence Coin”. The coin was first listed as £25 by the seller, however, bids soon started to come in and after seven days it received 26 bids reaching a whopping £149. When the listing closed on May 12, the winning outbid the previous one by a mere £2. The winner also paid £4.50 for economy delivery which rounded up the overall cost to £153.50.
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.
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.