Kew Gardens 50p coin believed to be the rarest in circulation sells for £275 online

The 50p, issued by the Royal Mint in 2009, is believed by many collectors to be so rare today as it had a low mintage of just 210,000

A RARE 50p coin has sold on eBay for a whopping £275.

The Kew Gardens 50p, owned by a coin collector in Stourport-on-Severn, sold on the online auction site on Friday (March 10).

The coin was minted in 2009 by the Royal Mint and is believed to be one of the rarest in circulation today with a mintage of just 210,000.

The coin features Queen Elizabeth II on the head and the iconic Chinese Pagoda at Kew on the reverse, with a leafy climber wrapped around the tower.

The 50p sold on eBay had its value verified by the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation, who graded the coin with a PF69 rating.

In coin collecting, an item with a PF70 rating is considered to be perfect and is the highest grading a coin can receive.

A PF69 rating, of which the Kew Gardens 50p sold was given, is the second highest grading afforded by the NGC and denotes an almost perfect coin and contain flaws only visible to the keenest of eyes.

However, due to their popularity, even the poorest condition Kew Gardens 50p coins are still valued of several hundred times their value.

A spokesperson for Copes Coins said: "A poor condition Kew Gardens 50p could still be worth around £160 to £180.

"In contrast, a circulated in great condition could fetch anything from £200 to £250 and uncirculated and brilliant uncirculated would have a value of much more."