Royal Mint rare 50p error coin in circulation - how to spot

The Royal Mint 50p coin in question was issued in 2017, and nobody knows exactly how many of the versions with an error are in circulation.

As a result, they are considered “extremely rare” with some selling for more than 100 times their face value on the secondary market, in places such as eBay.

Coin expert, Coin Collecting Wizard on TikTok explained how you can spot the rare coin.

@coincollectingwizard Isaac Newton 50p with a rare error! #errorcoin #newton50p #isaacnewton #rarecoins #50pencecoin #coincollector ♬ WOAH - WYR GEMI

They said: “The Sir Isaac Newton 50p is one of the most popular 50ps in circulation since it was issued in 2017.

“What you are looking for is the obverse side to have several extra lines across Queen Elizabeth’s portrait.

“If your coin has those lines then congratulations, you have found it.

“This is thought to be an error caused during the striking process as a result of what is known as a die clash.

“Interestingly the extra lines are not grooves scratched into the surface of the coin, but whiskers standing slightly proud on the surface.

“Although we do not know for sure how many of these error coins are in circulation, they are thought to be extremely rare.

“They have even been listed on the secondary market for more than 100 times their face value.”

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.

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.

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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.

Rarest 50p coins in circulation the UK?

The Royal Mint has revealed the most valuable 50p coins in its collection.

One of the rarest is the Kew’s Garden 50p, which was designed to mark the 250th anniversary of the gardens in 2009. Only 210,000 coins were ever minted with this design.

The Kew Gardens 50p sells for £156.25 on average, but one seller received over £700 for one when they sold it on eBay.

The other rarest coins stem predominantly from the 2011 Olympics, with the wrestling, football and judo coins among the most valuable. Only 1.1million of each of these coins were produced.

Flopsy bunny and Peter Rabbit designs which were produced in 2018 are also highly valuable.

These coins - 1.4 million of which were minted - depict the characters from Beatrix Potter’s novels and celebrate the life of the English writer and these sell for around £5.

In 2019, 500 million coins were produced, with three new 50p designs.

These included one of Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes, Paddington Bear at St Paul's Cathedral and the Tower of London.

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. Atlantic Salmon (2023), 200,000
2. Kew Gardens (2009), 210,000
3. Olympic Wrestling (2011), 1,129,500
4. Olympic Football (2011), 1,161,500
5. Olympic Judo (2011), 1,161,500
6. Olympic Triathlon (2011), 1,163,500
7. Peter Rabbit (2018), 1,400,000
8. Flopsy Bunny (2018), 1,400,000
9. Olympic Tennis (2011), 1,454,000
10. Olympic Goalball (2011), 1,615,500