One of the UK's rarest 50p coins has sold for £180 - a staggering 360 times over its value. The 'Kew Gardens' coin, which has become infamous among collectors due to its scarcity, attracted 40 bids on the online auction site eBay.
Just 210,000 coins featuring the design were initially minted in 2009, making it the rarest circulated coin in England. This is why one collector was happy to pay way over its value to purchase it on eBay, reports Lincolnshire Live.
40 bids were made on the coin, before a winning bid of £180 from one user. The coin features a design of London's Kew Gardens on the 'tails' side, with The Queen's face as normal on the other.
It is well worth checking your loose change to see if you are lucky enough to be carrying a fortune in your pocket. However, even if you do find a Kew Gardens coin, it may not be worth a massive amount.
In 2019, the coin was reminted as part of a celebration from the Royal Mint of 50 years of the 50p coin. These coins do not sell for as much as it is the original version that collectors are so keen to get their hands on.
If you're looking to begin your own collection, it is important to make sure you're not falling for any scams. Coin enthusiast website Change Checker has some tips on the best ways to ensure a Kew Gardens 50p coin is genuine.
They say the important things to look out for include the 'frosted design' or 'very high relief' on the design, which can be used on fakes. They have also warned that coins that are 'too shiny' could be fakes, seeing as they have been in circulation since 2009 and most will have lost their shine by now.
Many coins that could be hiding in your loose change could be worth a small fortune. Recently a rare 5p coin sold on eBay for £161.
