Brits urged to check their change for five of the rarest 50p coins circulating in 2023 - combined they could be worth more than £285

An expert has urged Brits to check their change for five of the rarest 50p coins circulating in 2023. Combined, these rare pieces could be worth more than £285 - far more than their face value.

Brits are being urged to check their change for five of the rarest 50p coins in circulation in 2025. Combined, these rare pieces could be worth more than £285 - far more than their face value.

But it’s important you check for the right designs and years to ensure they are the valuable sought after coins. An expert, known online as Coin Collector UK, took to social media platform TikTok to explain more.

In a video, he ranked the five rarest 50p coins available in the UK starting from least to most rare. Taking the fifth spot was a coin from 2011.

This is known as the Olympic Judo coin and features a design of two Judo wrestlers on the reverse side (the tails side). The expert said: “This one has a mintage of 1,161,500 [this means how many were made] and sells regularly for around £8 to £10.”

He continued: “In fourth place, another coin from the 2011 Olympic set. This time it’s the Olympics wrestling. With a slightly lower mintage of 1,129 500. This also has a similar price of around £8 to £10.”

The third coin on his list is known as the Olympic football coin. “Previously the second rarest 50p,” he said.

“But now just dropped down to third with a mintage of 1,125,500. And this coin sells for around £13 to £15.”

His next coin is worth substantially more, going for around £150 to the right buyer. According to the Coin Collector, this was the rarest 50p coin a few months ago until a new piece took its place.

He revealed the 2009 Kew Gardens 50p coin that features an image of the gardens’ pagoda. “A mintage of 210,000 on this,” he continued.

“This one sells for around £140 to £150 - definitely one you want to be looking out for with a very high value.”

Finally he shared the rarest 50p in circulation, which recently took the top spot. It is also the only coin on the list to feature the image of King Charles III as opposed to Queen Elizabeth II. On the reverse of this 2023 coin is the depiction of an Atlantic salmon.

This coin earns the title of rarest 50p coin due to its very low mintage numbers. He added: “And coming in first place, the rarest 50p that you can find in your change is, of course, the Atlantic salmon. A mintage of only 200,000 from 2023 and this one at the moment is selling for around £70 to £100.”