For many, the 2012 Olympic 50p collecting sensationkick started their interest in coins. In fact, millions rose to the challenge of collecting all 29 designs, and we now know that as many as 75% of the Olympic 50p coins have been removed from circulationby collectors.
- Peter Rabbit 50p Coin 2016
- Peter Rabbit 50p Coin 2020
- Peter Rabbit 50p Coin Worth
- Peter Rabbit 50p Coin Value
- Peter Rabbit 50p Coins Worth Money
- Peter Rabbit 50p Coins All 4
But that was only the start…
Since then, the nation has been gripped by the latest Royal Mint releases, with collectors eagerly hunting down the most sought-after coins as they are released, as well as searching for the scarcest coins in circulation and the rarest of the rare error coins that you could be lucky enough to find in your change.
As the public’s interest in coin collecting continues to grow, we’ve decided to take a look at the top 10 coins collectors are after right now and explain to you exactly why these coins are so sought-after.
Only 15,000 copies of the 2016 Peter Rabbit Silver Proof Coloured 50p coin were released and they quickly sold out, with The Royal Mint website crashing due to the huge demand. This means the coloured version - not actually a circulation coin, it wouldn't be accepted in shops - is now worth around £400. The famous Kew Gardens design remains the most coveted 50p coin in circulation. As well as a Peter Rabbit coin which was minted in 2018 and is now worth £6.15, according to CoinHunter. Peter Rabbit™ 2018 UK 50p Gold Proof Coin & Book Gift Set Limited Edition 450. Price: £1,105.00 In Stock. Brilliant Uncirculated Coin. Peter Rabbit™ 2019 UK 50p. Only 15,000 copies of the 2016 Peter Rabbit Silver Proof Coloured 50p coin were released and they quickly sold out, with The Royal Mint website crashing due to the huge demand. This means the coloured version - not actually a circulation coin, it wouldn't be accepted in shops - is now worth around £400.
There are are no shortage of sellers on eBay purporting to sell a range of rare 50p coins, which tend to offer the 2018 Peter Rabbit and Flopsy Bunny designs for between £9 and £15.
1) 2017 Sir Isaac Newton 50p
Voted as both Change Checker’s favourite coin design of 2017 and Change Checker’s top historically significant coin, the 2017 Sir Isaac Newton 50p has the second lowest mintage figure for any commemorative 50p coin in circulation, with just 1,801,500 coins being struck.
Designed by Aaron West, this 50p coin was issued in 2017 to commemorate the achievements of Sir Isaac Newton and remembers the legacy he has left, 350 years after his birth in 1667. Sir Isaac Newton is widely recognised as one of themost influential scientists of all time and a key figure in the scientific revolution. He changed our understanding of mathematics and physics, redefined the way we see the world and shaped the security of our currency in his role as Master of the Mint.
In January 2018, The Royal Mint announced the 2018 Sir Isaac Newton 50p coin but the ONLY place to get hold of one was at The Royal Mint Experience in Llantrisant, Wales! Interestingly, these 2018 dated coins will not be released into circulation.
2) A-Z of Great Britain 10p coins
We were incredibly excited to reveal the 26 new A to Z of Great Britain 10p coins to the public following The Royal Mint’s surprise release in March 2018. Since then they have created quite a stir in the world of coin collecting…
An initial early release of 2.6 million coins set collectors to frantically hunting down these coins in their change. In October 2018, another 2.6 million were released, and in 2019 their have been a further 2.1 million released, bringing the total number of coins in circulation to 7.3 million.
However, split evenly over the 26 designs, this still only brings the mintage figure for each coin to around 280,000 – only slightly more than the UK’s scarcest 50p coin in circulation! To find out which 10p is most sought-after, we’ve added the A-Z 10ps to our Scarcity Index charts to reveal the scarcest 10p design to look out for.
3) 2020 Team GB 50p
In 2020, The Royal Mint issued its Commemorative Coin Set, including a 50p celebrating Team GB’s participation in the Tokyo Olympics.
As the news broke that the 2020 Olympic Games would be postponed until 2021 due to the worldwide pandemic, collectors were soon asking the question, “What will happen to the 2020 Team GB 50p?”
As the 2020 Team GB 50p was never individually released, it was confirmed this too would be postponed, in line with the Olympic Games. This means that there will be both a 2020 and a 2021 dated Team GB 50p by the time it is individually released next year.
Demand for the 2020 version of the Team GB 50p is already high, as it is only available as part of the Annual Set, meaning far fewer will be minted than if it were individually released.
These coins have already been selling on the secondary market for well over their face value and this demand is sure to increase when we see the release of the individual 2021 dated Team GB 50p.
4) Kew Gardens 50p
The Kew Gardens 50p hit the headlines in February 2014 when it was revealed as the most scarce 50p in circulation, with a mintage figure of just 210,000. At the peak of the hype surrounding its value, some coins were exchanging hands for hundreds of pounds!
This incredibly sought-after 50p remains top of our 50p Scarcity Index and is still selling for around £102 on ebay, as you can see from our Ebay Tracker.
In 2019 the Kew Gardens was re-issued in Brilliant Uncirculated quality as part of the 50th Anniversary of the 50p Culture Set.
The Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew are a UNESCO World Heritage Site which boast 4.5 acres of gardens under glass as well as a soaring treetop walkway. One of the garden buildings is a Chinese Pagoda built in 1761 which features on the design of this scarce commemorative 50p.
5) Undated 20p
In 2008, the undated 20p became the first coin in over 300 years to enter circulation without a date, and when the story broke in the press, it caused a frenzy not just in the collecting world but amongst the general public who realised they stood just as good a chance as anyone of pulling one out of their change.
Peter Rabbit 50p Coin 2016
Matthew Dent’s new UK coin designs featured a different part of the Royal Arms Shield on each denomination, and the new 20p devoted the entire reverse face to the design, meaning a new die with the date on the obverse (Queen’s head) side was created. However, when the new Royal Shield 20p coins were struck for circulation, the old die was accidentally used, meaning a batch was issued with no date on either side of the coin.
Coins with mismatched sides like these are known in the collecting world as ‘mules’ and are highly coveted, but The Royal Mint confirmed in a statement that no more than 250,000 coins made it into circulation.
6) 2020 Peter Rabbit 50p
Issued during a world pandemic, this Peter Rabbit 50p is arguably the forgotten coin of 2020.
It was confirmed to be the very last UK Peter Rabbit 50p in the series of coins celebrating 150 years since the birth of renowned children’s author, Beatrix Potter, which sadly brought his UK 50p tale to an end.
Unfortunately, masked by the events of a worldwidepandemic, the significance of this coin’s issue was missed.
Its reverse features a design of an original Beatrix Potter illustration of Peter Rabbit, scrambling under Mr. McGregor’s fence, an iconic image from Potter’s tale.
The2020 Peter Rabbit 50pdid not enter general circulation and was issued only in collector quality.
7) Benjamin Britten 50p
This 50p design was issued to commemorate the centenary of the birth of British Composer, Benjamin Britten in 1913, and features celebratory words from Tennyson set against a double stave – referencing the piano on which Britten was a virtuoso. Whilst this 50p was initially somewhat overlooked when it was first released, it hit the headlines back in 2016 when press articles revealed the coin being listed on ebay for over £800.
Sadly, ebay is not always a fair indicator of value, as anyone can list a coin at whatever price they choose. So when one collector found this slightly unusual coin in their change and listed it on eBay for an outrageous price, others soon followed, leading people to believe that the coin indeed had a high value. In fact, the Benjamin Britten 50p is actually quite common and you’ll likely come across the coin in your change without having to pay £800!
Peter Rabbit 50p Coin 2020
8) Commonwealth Games NI £2
In 2002, four £2 coins were issued to mark the Commonwealth Games, held in Manchester which, prior to the Olympic Games in London in 2012, was the largest multi-sport event ever to be held in the UK.
There are four different designs of the £2 commemorative coin and all are similar except that the central cameo features a different flag for the four constituent countries of the UK. They are some of the scarcest £2 coins now in circulation, with even the largest mintage (Scotland) set at just 771,750. Trying to tell the difference between the coins is tricky, however the one you’ll really want to be looking out for is the Northern Ireland £2. Just 485,000 coins were ever struck, making it officially the UK’s rarest £2 coin.
9) 1994 Mayflower Trial £2
The bi-metallic style of the £2 coin was first issued for general circulation in 1997. However, the very first version was actually struck in 1994 as a trial piece and was never legal tender.
This trial £2 coin was only ever issued in a presentation pack and was billed as “The United Kingdom’s first bi-colour coin”. There were only 4,500 packs ever issued which makes the 1994 Trial £2 coinan incredibly rare example of a bi-metallic coin.
The £2 coin with the lowest mintage currently in circulation is the 2002 Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland design, with a mintage of 485,500. This means the 1994 trial piece is more than 100 times rarer than the rarest £2 coin in circulation!
10) 2018 Peter Rabbit 50p
Peter Rabbit 50p Coin Worth
The 2018 Peter Rabbit 50p overtook the 2016 Jemima Puddle-Duck 50p as the joint second rarest 50p when the 2018 mintage figures were released (excluding the Olympic 50ps). The 2018 Peter Rabbit 50p and 2018 Flopsy Bunny 50p have a mintage of just 1,400,000!
In fact, the 2018 Peter Rabbit, Flopsy Bunny and Mrs Tittlemouse have lower mintages than any of the previous Beatrix Potter coins issued in 2016 and 2017.
The 2018 Peter Rabbit 50p coin was issued to carry on the celebrations of one of Beatrix Potter’s famous animals and the first of Beatrix Potter’s 23 children’s tales ‘The Tale of Peter Rabbit’.
As a Change Checker, there’s nothing more satisfying than finding a rare coin to complete your collection, and I’m sure you’ll agree that some of the coins mentioned above would make for an extra special find if you came across them in your change.
But have you been lucky enough to find any of these top 10 coins? Let us know in the comments below.
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© Provided by The i The 2018 Peter Rabbit design was revealed as the 6th rarest 50p coin by the Royal Mint (Photo: PA)Peter Rabbit 50p Coin Value
Many versions of the 50p have been issued, but few have the potential to raise a smile like the Peter Rabbit coin.
And while the whimsical designs can transport us back to our childhood, the Beatrix Potter coins can also be sought after by collectors.
The Royal Mint has revealed the rarest 50p coins in circulation ahead of the 50th anniversary of decimilisation, with the Peter Rabbit coin among the scarcest.
Here’s how it compares to other low-mintage designs, including other Beatrix Potter tributes, and which coins you should look out for.
© Provided by The i The rare 2018 Peter Rabbit design depicts the character chomping on a radish (Photo: PA)How rare is the Peter Rabbit 50p coin?
There are actually various iterations of the Peter Rabbit 50p coin, and the scarcity varies wildly from version to version.
By far the rarest example is the 2018 coin, with a mintage of 1,400,000, which puts it sixth on the Royal Mint’s top 10 rankings alongside the Flopsy Bunny 50p from the same year.
In contrast, the 2016 Peter Rabbit coin is comparatively common, with a mintage of 9,700,000, while the 2017 version was minted 19,900,000 times.
The 2016 design was introduced to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Beatrix Potter, featuring the beloved children’s book character in an up-close, front-on portratit with prominent whiskers.
Following the popularity of this coin, the more common 2017 edition depicted Peter side-on as he hopped towards adventure.
Peter Rabbit 50p Coins Worth Money
The 2018 edition – the rarest to look out for – shows the rabbit as he was painted by the author, happily biting into radishes in the garden of the curmudgeonly Mr McGregor.
A further commemorative edition of the Peter Rabbit 50p was released in 2019 to mark the 50th anniversary of the coin.
There are other relatively rare Beatrix Potter 50p coins in circulation, with the 2018 Mrs Tittlemouse and 2016 Jemima Puddle-Duck designs having mintages of 1,700,000 and 2,100,000 respectively.
The most common coins in circulation have a mintage in the tens or even hundreds of millions – the 1997 Britannia 50p, for example, was minted 456,364,100 times.
© Provided by The i The Flopsy Bunny 50p is equally as rare as the Peter Rabbit design (Photo: PA)What are the rarest 50p coins in circulation?
As well as the Beatrix Potter designs, the Royal Mint’s list of the rarest 50p is dominated by the 2011 coins released to commemorate the London 2012 Olympics.
However, the 2009 Kew Gardens 50p remains by far the rarest coin in circulation, with a mintage of just 210,000:
1. 2009 Kew Gardens, 210,000
2. 2011 Olympic Wrestling, 1,129,500
=3. 2011 Olympic Football, 1,161,500
=3. 2011 Olympic Judo, 1,161,500
5. 2011 Olympic Triathlon, 1,163,500
=6. 2018 Peter Rabbit, 1,400,000
=6. 2018 Flopsy Bunny, 1,400,000
8. 2011 Olympic Tennis, 1,454,000
9. 2011 Olympic Goalball, 1,615,500
10. 2011 Olympic Shooting, 1,656,500
How much are the Beatrix Potter 50p coins worth?
Peter Rabbit 50p Coins All 4
The rare coins website Change Checker has an eBay tracker, which details how some 50p coins can fetch significant sums in the secondary sale market.
According to this, the most valuable of the Beatrix Potter coins is actually the Jemima Puddle-Duck design, which fetched an average of £12.00 over the nine most recent completed eBay sales up to mid-January.
This is significantly behind the rarest Kew Gardens 50p coin, which reportedly attracted an average price of £156.00.
There are are no shortage sellers on eBay purporting to sell a range of rare 50p coins, which tend to offer the 2018 Peter Rabbit design for between £9 and £15.
It should be pointed out, as Change Checker states, the market in supposedly valuable coins “can be a bit of a minefield,” and it’s important to do your research before being taken in by viral stories of coins fetching huge sums.
Last year, for example, various reports claimed a Battle of Hastings 50p sold for £63,000 on eBay, supposedly because it was “very rare”.
This coin was launched in 2016 to commemorate the famous battle’s 950th anniversary, with as many as 6.7 million entering circulation.
Speaking to The Mirror, Alexandra Fiddons from Change Checker wasn’t able to explain exactly why the coin would sell for such a purportedly high fee, but said that sometimes “random coins” do reach surprising prices.
While some coins can fetch sums comfortably above their 50p value, often it is “error coins” – versions which found their way into circulation after being minted with mistakes – which are particularly valued by collectors.