Rare 50p coin sells for 5,000 times its face value after huge bidding war – exact details to spot

A RARE 50p coin has sold for more than 5,000 times its face value after a fierce eBay bidding war.

The “Lines Across The Face” 2011 Olympic Aquatics piece sold for a massive £2,606.56 just a few days ago.

The Lines Across The Face 2011 Olympic Aquatics 50p is extremely rare and can sell for hundreds or even thousands[/caption]

The eBay listing had attracted 12 bids before it was sold to the highest bidder.

It was described by the seller as still in its original cellophane and in uncirculated “pristine” condition.

The extremely rare piece was one of 29 commemorative coins issued by The Royal Mint to celebrate the 2012 Olympics.

Each of the coins shows a different Olympic sport.

The Aquatics one is meant to show a swimmer diving headfirst into a pool.

But on 600 of the coins, lines were accidentally etched across the swimmer’s face.

You might think this would make the coins less valuable – but actually these “error coins” are extremely sought-after among collectors.

That’s because collectors want to have the rarest coins, and error coins like this are some of the most rare ones you can find.

If you come across a Lines Across The Face coin in your change, you could fetch more than £305.

And of course on some occasions like this, the coin will sell for even more.

Remember, a rare coin is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.

There are more rare coins you can look out for if you don’t have the Lines Across The Face Coin.

For example, a rare 2009 Blue Peter 50p recently sold for £180 on eBay – 360 times its face value.

The coin features someone doing the high jump on one side, a design created by eight-year-old Florence Jackson from Bristol.

The final design was chosen from over 17,000 entries as part of a Blue Peter competition.

It has gone for more than £180 in the past as well, with one seller bagging £262.

What makes a coin rare?

Rare coins can sell for thousands of pounds if the right buyer comes along.

They’re usually classed as rare if they have a low mintage figure – meaning not many of them were created, and there are few of them in general circulation.

You can usually find out the mintage of a coin by checking The Royal Mint’s official website.

Coins might also be classed as rare if there was a mistake made during the manufacturing process.

These are known as “error” coins.

In some cases there are just a handful of each error coin available to the public, making them incredibly rare and valuable.

How to sell a rare coin

There are three main ways you can sell rare coins – on eBay, Facebook, or at auction.

If you’re selling on Facebook or eBay, make sure you post good quality pictures and price the piece as accurately as possible.

Some platforms like eBay can show you how much previous coins have sold for so you know how to price yours accurately.

Just search for similar coins and then filter it by sold or completed listings.

You can also sell at auction, which you can organise with The Royal Mint’s Collectors Service.

It has a team of experts who can help you authenticate and value your coin.

You can get in touch via email and a member of the valuation team will get back to you.

You will be charged for the service though – the cost varies depending on the size of your collection.