Rare new 50p coin in circulation sells for more than 200 times its value – Irvine Times

The King Charles III 50p Atlantic Salmon sparked a bit of a bidding war among coin collectors on the auction site as 16 bids were made for the rare coin before it sold for £101.

The Royal Mint recently identified the coin as the rarest currently in circulation in the UK, with only 200,000 minted.

The coin has displaced the “extremely collectable” 2009 Kew Gardens 50p from the top spot for the first time in 15 years, Britain’s official coin maker said.

(Image: Royal Mint/PA Wire)

Described by the Royal Mint as “the nation’s most collectable coin”, the 50p has seen over 100 different designs appear on its reverse since its introduction.

Of the 10 rarest 50ps in circulation, six relate to the 2012 London Olympics and Paralympics, with the 2018 Peter Rabbit and Flopsy Bunny coins also making the list.

Five incredibly rare and valuable British coins

What makes a coin valuable?

The 50p piece has become the most prized and collected coin in the UK, with many collectible designs appearing on its heptagonal face.

Its diameter of 27.5mm makes it the largest of all British coins and allows room for decorative pictures. It is often used to mark major events in the last 50 years of British history.

The rarest coins are usually the most valuable, with the mintage (number of coins of each design produced) being the main attraction for collectors.

Along with design, other aspects of a coin that increase value are the condition of the coin and whether there is a design flaw.

How it is sold can also determine a coin’s value – while some coin collectors will bid huge sums of money on ebay or at auction, others opt for more stable valuations by selling through a coin dealer.

Royal Mint Top 10 Most Valuable 50p Coins

Here is a list of the 10 most valuable coins, when they were made and how many were minted:

1. Atlantic salmon (2023), 200,000
2. Kew Gardens (2009), 210,000
3. Olympic Wrestling (2011), 1,129,500
4. Olympic Football (2011), 1,161,500
5. Olympic Judo (2011), 1,161,500
6. Olympic Triathlon (2011), 1,163,500
7. Peter Rabbit (2018), 1,400,000
8. Flopsy Bunny (2018), 1,400,000
9. Olympic Tennis (2011), 1,454,000
10. Olympic Goalball (2011), 1,615,500