Your 50p coin could be worth £200 - how to spot a rare Royal Mint coin

Thousands more of the coin are thought to be in circulation, with one selling for more than 400 times its face value on eBay this week.

People are being urged to check their change for a rare Royal Mint 50p coin that is selling for more than £200.

The coin, which is one of 20,000, sold for over 400 times its face value at an eBay auction this week.

It is understood that the coin, which was designed by Blue Peter competition winner Florence Jackson, is a limited-edition version of the 50p, and was released in 2009 ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

The coin features an athlete competing in the high jump, and is made from a copper-nickel alloy.

It was never officially put into circulation, but many of the coins are said to have entered everyday transactions.

The coins were originally sold for £1.09, but they now go for much more than that on occasions, with one even fetching £286 on eBay.

This week, one sold for £205, after attracting 12 bids on the online auction site.

Five Incredibly Rare and Valuable British Coins

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.

Royal Mint top 10 most valuable 50p coins

Here is a list of the top 10 most valuable coins, when they were made and how many were minted:

Atlantic Salmon (2023), 200,000

Kew Gardens (2009), 210,000

Olympic Wrestling (2011), 1,129,500

Olympic Football (2011), 1,161,500

Olympic Judo (2011), 1,161,500

Olympic Triathlon (2011), 1,163,500

Peter Rabbit (2018), 1,400,000

Flopsy Bunny (2018), 1,400,000

Olympic Tennis (2011), 1,454,000

Olympic Goalball (2011), 1,615,500