A rare coin has sold for 330 times its face value on eBay, fetching £165 for one lucky seller. The 50p coin was released just 13 years ago in 2009 to mark 250 years since the opening of London’s Kew Gardens in 1759.
The coin – which the Royal Mint estimate to have made 210,000 – features the famous Chinese Pagoda at the Royal Botanic Garden on one side and Queen Elizabeth II’s head on the other. Coin valuation website Coin Hunter puts the average resale price for the Kew Gardens 50p between £150.89 and £161.50, The ECHO reports.
According to its eBay listing, the “Fifty Pence 50p 2009 - Kew Gardens Genuine” had a starting price of just 99p. The price of the coin soared during what was surely an intense 32-way bidding war, with the seller taking home a whopping £165.
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According to Coin Hunter’s estimates, this particular coin has sold for a below average price. However, there have also been examples of this coin previously selling for as much as £200.
If you rush to your coin jar and are lucky enough to find one of these Kew Garden 50p coins, you should first check what year it was minted, as Royal Mint reissued a batch in 2019 – which will be far less valuable. If you do find one of the 2019 reissues you could still be in the money, as they can sell for up to £80 on eBay.
Last year The Royal Mint’s director of UK currency Mark Loveridge said: “Coin collecting remains as popular as ever, and we were delighted to release a number of special designs into circulation in 2019.
“The Kew Gardens (50p) remains the most coveted coin, with a mintage of just 210,000, but it’s always exciting to find a special design in your change.”
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