Salmon coin TRIPLES in value after being named rarest 50p beating Kew Garden – details to spot if yours is valuable

A NEW King Charles III coin has tripled in value after being crowned the rarest 50p in circulation, beating the Kew Garden design.

The rare coins market has been shaken up by the newcomer, with collectors scrambling to get their hands on the newly crowned rarity.

The Sun exclusively revealed this week that the Atlantic Salmon has taken the top spot as the rarest 50p coin in UK circulation.

Previously the title was held by the famous Kew Gardens design, which features the site’s iconic Chinese Pagoda and displays the years 1759 and 2009.

The new coin, which is one of the first released featuring King Charles’ face, features an engraving of salmon fish jumping out of Atlantic ocean water on the other side.

The value of the Salmon coin has since skyrocketed after the Royal Mint revealed to The Sun how few of the them have gone in to circulation.

According to Changechecker, the piece, initially worth around £50, has shot up to £150 in the secondary market, with prices expected to rise further.

A Changechecker spokesperson said: “The circulation 2023 Salmon 50p has knocked the legendary Kew Gardens 50p off the top spot, meaning Britain has a new rarest 50p for the first time in 15 years.

“It was announced on October 7, 2024 that just 200,000 2023 Salmon 50ps entered circulation in November 2023.

“Due to it’s incredibly low mintage, just one in 335 people in the UK could have the chance of finding one in their change.

“When the Kew Gardens 50p was first issued in 2009, collectors didn’t initially realise just how rare it would be, and many people who found one in their change parted with it and later kicked themselves.

“Now, 15 years later, the Kew Gardens coin regularly sells for between £150 to £250 on the secondary market, so it’s no surprise that they’re already selling on the secondary market for up to £200.

“For many, snagging a Salmon coin could be a second chance at coin-collecting glory.

“In terms of identifying rare coins, we would urge collectors to check mintage figures as well as keep up to date with our Scarcity Index which is updated quarterly.”

Eager collectors are rushing to secure one before values spiral even higher.

Coins have already fetched high bids on eBay, with one coin selling for £164 on October 7.

Another listing currently sits at £185, and yet another is asking for a staggering £500 as demand surges – though there’s no guarantee that these will sell for that much.

A coin is only ever worth what someone else is willing to pay at the time.

The Royal Mint confirmed that 200,000 Atlantic Salmon coins were distributed to banks and post offices late last year, as part of a commemorative series marking the ascension of King Charles III.

This figure beats the 210,000 Kew Gardens coins minted 15 years ago, making the Atlantic Salmon officially the rarest 50p in circulation.

Rebecca Morgan, director of commemorative coins at The Royal Mint said: “The releasing of mintage figures is an eagerly anticipated event among the coin collecting community.

“This year is particularly exciting as we reveal the Atlantic Salmon as the rarest 50p in circulation.”

As the Atlantic Salmon swims to the top of the rarest 50p list, the Kew Gardens coin drops to second place, followed by other valuable pieces such as the Olympic Football and Olympic Wrestling coins.

Rare coins, especially those with low mintages, can fetch hundreds, even thousands of pounds.

Error coins, produced with manufacturing mistakes, are also highly sought after by collectors.

Some have been known to sell for as much as £1,500 to £2,500.

How to sell a rare coin

There are three ways you can sell rare coins – on eBay, Facebook, or in an auction.

If you’re selling on Facebook, there are risks attached.

Some sellers have previously been targeted by scammers who say they want to buy a rare note or coin and ask for money up front to pay for a courier to pick it up.

But the courier is never actually sent and you’re left out of pocket.

Rather than doing this, it’s always best to meet a Facebook seller in person when buying or selling a rare note or coin.

Ensure it’s a public meeting spot that’s in a well-lit area and if you can, avoid using payment links.

Next, you can sell at auction, which is generally the safest option.

You can organise this with The Royal Mint’s Collectors Service.

It has a team of experts who can help you authenticate and value your coin.

You can get in touch via email and a member of the valuation team will get back to you.

You will be charged for the service though – the cost varies depending on the size of your collection.

You can also sell rare coins on eBay.

But always bear in mind, you will only make what the buyer is willing to pay at that time.

You can search for the same note or coin as you have to see how much the same one has sold for on the website previously.

This can help give you an indication of how much you should sell it for.

Meanwhile, it’s not just 50ps that could land you a small fortune.

A coin expert has revealed the tiny clue on the edge of a £1 coin could make it worth 2500 times its face value.

Elsewhere, one lucky collector scored a hefty £30,000 on his coin because of an unusual design.