Expert says look out for two 'rarest' 50p coins worth almost £200

An expert has advised Britons to be on the lookout for two of the UK’s “rarest” coins. Together, these pieces could be worth nearly £200 to collectors.

Both coins are 50 pence pieces, however, one will likely be harder to find than the other. Expert, known online as the Coin Collecting Wizard, took to social media platform TikTok to explain more.

First, he revealed that a 50p from the 1990s is one to watch. Known as the EEC dual date coin, it features a design depicting a conference table with 12 chairs and stars to denote the EEC (European Economic Community) member states.

Unusually, it also displays two dates - 1992 and 1993. Just 109,000 of these were ever made by the Royal Mint, making it the “rarest” UK 50p coin to enter circulation.

In his video, the Coin Collecting Wizard compared it to a more modern coin often viewed as the rarest 50p in the UK - the Kew Gardens coin. He said: “This 50p is rarer than the Kew Gardens, but what coin is this, you ask?

“It is the dual date EEC 50 pence from 1992. With a mintage of just 109,000 - around half of the Kew Gardens 50p - the EC presidency is the rarest UK 50p coin to enter circulation.”

Although these coins are no longer circulated, they could still turn up. And they could sell for around £40.

He continued: “This is the larger old style 50p that are no longer in circulation now, but even though this is no longer circulated, it can still fetch around £40 pounds in circulated condition.” If you also have the previously mentioned Kew Gardens coin, you could be looking at nearly £200 in total.

This coin, from 2009, features the famous Chinese Pagoda at Kew Gardens with a decorative leafy climber twining in and around the tower. “Then we have the Kew Gardens 50p,” the expert said.

“This coin is still in UK circulation and has a mintage of around 210,000. Due to it still being in our change, it has a price tag of around £150 in circulated condition.

“So always keep an eye out for the Kew Gardens 50p in your change, you never know when you might come across one.” On the Royal Mint website it claims that collectors “go crazy” for the Kew Gardens coin.

It says: “Over the years, the coin has been issued in a huge range of commemorative editions celebrating every aspect of British culture, from athletes to authors. The sheer variety has sparked a collecting craze but of all the 50p coins, the Kew Gardens 50p is arguably the most sought-after. Nothing gets people excited quite like this original 2009 design.”