Rarest 50p Coins That Could Be Hiding In Your Wallet

We are all being urged to check our wallets for rare coins, as they are widely sought after by collectors. By .

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We are all being urged to check our wallets for rare coins, as they are widely sought after by collectors.

Some coins are made with minting errors which make them not only rare, but also extremely valuable to the right collector.

One 20p coin, minted back in 1983, was made on a copper-coloured blank by mistake, creating a rare bronze 20p.

These coins are much sought after by collectors and are far more valuable than their 20p face value.

One such coin sold on eBay this week for £232, more than 1,000 times its face value, after inspiring a mini bidding war and inspiring 28 bids.

What makes a coin valuable?

The 50 pence piece has become the most valued and collected coin in the UK, with many collectable designs appearing on its heptagonal canvas.

Its 27.5mm diameter makes it the largest of any British coin, and allows space for decorative pictures. It has often been used to celebrate big events over the past 50 years of British history.

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The rarest coins tend to be of the greatest value, with the mintage (number of coins with each design made) being the fundamental attraction for collectors.

Along with the design, other aspects of the coin which increase value are the condition of the coin and whether it has an error in its design.

The way in which it is sold can also determine the coin’s value - while some coin collectors will bid vast amounts of money on eBay or at auction, others opt for more robust valuations by selling via a coin dealer.

Top 10 most valuable 50p coins, according to Royal Mint

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

1. Kew Gardens 50p - 60,000 in 2009

2. Olympic 50p - 750,000 in 2011

3. Badminton 50p - 1.5 million in 2002

4. Brilliant Uncirculated 50p - 750,000 in 2012

5. London 2012 Olympic 50p - 1.25 million in 2011

6. Northern Ireland 50p - 750,000 in 2003

7. Scottish 50p - 750,000 in 2003

8. Welsh 50p - 750,000 in 2003

9. Isle of Man 50p - 750,000 in 2003

10. Guernsey 50p - 750,000 in 2003