Ultra-rare 50p coin with 8-storey tower sketch sells for 300 times its value – could you have one in your change?
AN ULTRA-RARE 50p coin has sold for nearly 300 times its face value.
The commemorative Kew Gardens token, which was minted in 2009, marks 250 years since the botanical gardens opened in 1759.
It went for £142.05 plus £2 delivery to a buyer on the online marketplace eBay.
The listing had 42 bids before it was sold on November 1.
It’s not so easy to get a hold of these Kew Garden coins – of which there are just 210,000 in circulation.
Some have been known to sell for around £700 on eBay.
However, more recently it sold for £320 with 40 bids on October 13.
The coin features Kew Gardens’ iconic Chinese Pagoda and displays the years 1759 and 2009.
It was a limited edition release, making it a rare coin that could be worth a lot of money if it pops up in your spare change.
How to check your spare change
Coins with rare designs or to commemorate historic figures and events such as The Olympics often attract high values.
Use experts like Coin Hunter to check over your change and see how much it could be worth or refer to the Changechecker scarcity index.
It is worth looking at how other rare coins have sold on eBay.
Watch out for fakes though.
Get your coin verified by The Royal Mint to reassure buyers that they’re paying for the real deal if you try to sell it as this can bump up the price.
If bidding on a coin, check how many others are interested as this can provide an indication of how valuable and genuine a coin is.
This is a good idea to help push up the price too as you can advertise it as genuine.