AN iconic 50p coin has sold for an eye-watering 660 times its face value after a fierce bidding war.
The 2009 coin is one of just 210,000 and was flogged on eBay for an incredible £330.
It was initially released to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, London.
The reverse side design, created by Christopher Le Brun, features the Chinese Pagoda at Kew adorned by leafy climbers.
The coin fetched more than other 2009 Kew Gardens 50ps because it appears to have never been used.
In the photos on eBay, it was encased in a protective proof finish transparent case.
It sparked a bidding frenzy, with 26 bidders fighting to get their hands on the pristine coin.
There is also a 2019-dated Kew Gardens coin, but the 2009 version is considered much rarer and more valuable.
Bear in mind, if you find a rare Kew Gardens 50p in your spare change, you might not get £330 for it.
Another recent auction on eBay saw one of the same coins sell for £146 while another fetched £156.
How much you can get for yours depends on a number of factors, including how much bidders are willing to pay on the day.
The Kew Gardens 50p is second in The Royal Mint’s top 10 list of rarest 50ps, below the 2023 Atlantic Salmon.
How to know if a coin is rare
A coin is usually classed as rare if a low amount was struck or an error occurred during the manufacturing process.
For example, the 2009 Kew Gardens 50p is valuable because only 210,000 were minted.
The same goes for the Atlantic Salmon, with only 200,000 put into circulation in 2023.
A coin is classed as an “error” piece if something went wrong during the manufacturing process and the coin was struck incorrectly.
These types of coins are few and far between making them super valuable.
The HG Wells £2 error coin has been known to sell for up to £1,000 in the past.
Bronze 20p coins have been known to sell for up to £750 as well while error £1 coins have been known to go for £1,000s.
How to sell a rare coin
You’ve got three main options: in auction, on eBay or on Facebook Marketplace.
The safest way to sell a rare coin is at auction. You can organise this 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.
If you are selling on eBay, make sure you list the coin’s price accurately.
You can do this by checking how much other sellers have sold the same piece for.
It’s pointless listing a rare 50p for £100 if people have only been willing to pay £50 for it previously, for example.
Finally, you can sell on Facebook Marketplace, but be wary of scammers trying to get you to transfer money to dodgy accounts.
It can be easier to meet buyers in person and get cash for your coin, but only in daylight and in a public place.
In any case, if you’re selling on eBay or Facebook, decent pictures will help the coin sell for the best price.
Most rare and valuable 50p coins
WE reveal the Royal Mint’s most rare and valuable 50p coins in circulation.
Triathlon
Minted in 2011, the Triathlon 50p depicts the same sport which featured in the 2012 Olympics.
There are more than 1,160,000 of the coins in circulation.
With over 200million 50ps circulating in the UK, that makes this coin quite a rare find.
The highest recent sale we’ve found on eBay recently was £30 on June 21.
Judo
Judo is a popular sport that involves grappling with your opponent.
But despite the design, it’s not so easy to get a hold of this coin, of which there are just 1,161,500 in circulation.
The piece was designed by David Cornell after he won a national competition.
It was minted in 2011 and the highest bid we’ve seen on eBay was for £17.95 on June 21.
Wrestling
Wrestling was one of the first Olympic sports so it’s not surprising that it features on one of the 50p pieces.
The 2011 coin was designed by Roderick Enriquez, a graphic designer from Hammersmith, London.
We’ve seen it sell for as much as £15 online so is worth digging around for.
In recent months, one was sold on eBay for £11.95 on June 18.
Football
Of all the coins created to commemorate the 2012 Olympic Games, the 50p Football is among the rarest.
It features an explanation of the controversial offside rule on it, with 1,125,000 produced.
One sold for £20 on eBay on June 11, although it has been known to go for as much as £75 in the past.
Kew Gardens
The Kew Gardens 50p is the rarest of all the 50p pieces, with only 210,000 in circulation.
They have been known to sell for as much as £895 on eBay before.
The design was created by Christopher Le Brun RA and features the famous Chinese Pagoda with a leafy chamber that twists around the tower.
The coin often sparks the interest of new coin collectors due to its rarity.
The highest sale we found in recent weeks was £142 on June 22 with 23 bids.