August 2019 Scarcity Index update!
Discover how sought-after your coins are with the latest Scarcity Index update!
This information has been compiled using data from the Change Checker Swap Centre (find out how it works here) and presented in the easy to use indexes below, with arrows to signify how many places up or down a coin has moved since the last Scarcity Index.
A-Z 10p Scarcity Index
There has been quite a bit of movement on the A-Z 10p Scarcity Index since the last update, which is to be expected as more of these coins start turning up in people’s change and duplicates are swapped.
Moving up 7 places to take the top spot on the index is Z for Zebra Crossing, which is now the most sought-after A-Z 10p.
Amongst the top 4 scarcest coins on the index is the N for NHS 10p, which has also jumped up 7 places, although the biggest upward movement actually goes to A for Angel of the North. This coin has managed to move up the index by 12 places and now sits in the middle of the pack.
Conversely, the biggest downward movement goes to K for King Arthur (previously at the top of the index) which has now dropped by 21 places to sit amongst the bottom 5 coins.
It’s important to note that the A-Z 10p Scarcity Index is currently based on estimated mintage figures, assuming each coin has been struck in equal quantities. This includes the extra 2.1 million coins released in 2019. It will certainly be interesting to see what happens to the index once the official mintage figures are confirmed.
50p Scarcity Index
There’s no surprises at the top end of the 50p Scarcity Index, with the Kew Gardens remaining on top and the next top 5 coins remaining unchanged.
Whilst there has been some small movement amongst the Olympic 50ps, aside from the Kew Gardens, these coins dominate the top 17 places on the index.
In fact, the only non-Olympic 50ps to feature on the first half of the index are the Kew Gardens, Jemima Puddle-Duck, Sir Isaac Newton and Suffragettes 50ps, which remain in the same position as the last update.
The biggest upwards movement for the 50p index actually goes to Canoeing and the Battle of Hastings, both of which have moved up by 6 places.
The Battle of Hastings 50p was re-issued this year as part of the 50th Anniversary of the 50p Military Set, which might have increased demand for the circulation coin.
Both Fencing and Ironside 50ps have actually moved 8 places down the index since the last update, although it’s worth noting that Ironside moved up 9 places on the last index, so is mostly likely just settling back into place following increased popularity last quarter.
We’re eagerly waiting for when the mintage figures for 2018 coins will be released so that we can update the Scarcity Index and add some new coins into the mix!
£2 Scarcity Index
There’s been quite a shuffle on the £2 index this quarter and whilst the Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland £2 remains on top, the other Commonwealth Games coins have had a move around.
In fact, the Commonwealth Games Wales £2 has now been overtaken by Olympic Centenary and King James Bible which have managed to break up the Commonwealth Games coins by pushing Wales down to 6th place on the index.
The biggest increase goes to the Gunpowder Plot £2, which has moved up the index by 7 places to now sit nearer the middle of the pack.
Rugby World Cup has taken a big hit this quarter and has actually moved down 10 places to second from the bottom.
This has effectively bumped up the bottom few coins by one or two places each.
It will be really interesting to see how the £2 index will change in future if more £2 coins enter circulation and mix up the rankings.
How your Scarcity Index works
Generally collectors have had to rely upon mintage figures to identify the scarcest coins. But they only tell part of the story. Trying to find a good quality coin from 15 – 20 years ago, even for a higher mintage issue, is much more challenging than a more recent issue, as coins become damaged over time and are ultimately removed from circulation.
Additionally, some designs are more hoarded than others by people who might not normally collect coins – the poignant First World War £2 Coin series being an example. Finally, it can be up to a couple of years before the Royal Mint eventually confirms the actual mintage for an issue.
That’s why we have combined the mintage information with two other key pieces of information.
- How many of each design are listed as “collected” by Change Checkers, indicating the relative ease of finding a particular coin.
- The number of times a design has been requested as a swap over the previous 3 months, showing the current level of collector demand.
Importantly, as new coins are released and popularity rises and falls across different designs the Scarcity Index will be updated quarterly allowing Change Checkers to track the relative performance of the UK’s circulation coins.
How much are my coins worth?
The Scarcity Index does not necessarily equate to value but it is certainly an effective indicator. For example, the Kew Gardens 50p coin commands a premium of up to 200 times face value on eBay.
You can use the 6 point guide to help you determine a more realistic value for your coins.
What about £1 Coins?
The £1 Scarcity Index has already been published for the Round £1 coins and, because they are no longer being issued, this is now set in stone.
If you’re interested in coin collecting, our Change Checker web app is completely free to use and allows users to:
– Find and identify the coins in their pocket
– Collect and track the coins they have
– Swap their spare coins with other Change Checkers
Sign up today at: www.changechecker.org/app
I have a rate £2 coin London Underground when I check the date it is very rare
Hi Rachel, can you explain to me how the release of new coins into the system works? Are they restricted to certain areas? I have NEVER seen a single one of the 10p alphabet coins, and don’t know anyone else in the area who has. I live in Devon. Thank you, Sarah
Hi Sarah, The Royal Mint does not actually have any real control over how and when coins go into circulation. This is essentially managed between HM Treasury and the large cash distribution services run by the Post Office and some banks, as well as private operators. Between them they handle, sort and distribute the billions of coins in circulation, even swapping stocks between themselves.
It’s only when they are short of a particular denomination that they call off stocks from The Royal Mint, who act as the manufacturer of the coin on behalf of the Treasury.
I never seen one I live in Northumberland near newcastle. Never received an olympics here either
I find the mintage figures for the Isaac newton a bit weird, these coins are no where to be seen in circulation, I work in a busy shop taking a vast amount of cash and since release I have only found 1 in over two years, I estimate even if all the bags sold on eBay and in private groups were around 4,000 over the last two years then that’s still only 80,000 coins plus the once sold singular, I have many friends in the same job as me who have yet to find one but we find a lot of the highly sort after puddle-Ducks which are almost the same rarity, I don’t see the figure being 1.8 million, I wonder if the Mint are pulling the wool over our eyes to keep the value low to ensure they circulate.
Hi I have a Mr jeremy fisher 50p can you please tell me if its worth anything
Hi Christine, with a mintage of 9,900,000 this coin is actually common and can easily be found in your change, so is unlikely to fetch more than face value on the secondary market.
We have 3 Charles dickens £2, with the little stars missing on part of them. Tried to sell on ebay, but was unsuccessful. And we don’t have any shop’s near us that deal with them. Please any ideas. Thank you
Hi Marie, we actually wrote a blog about the Charles Dickens coins and the supposed ‘errors’ that can be spotted: https://www.changechecker.org/2018/11/07/how-much-is-my-charles-dickens-2-worth/
Hi, i got a legitimate kew gardens in my change this time last week(i nearly fainted)and i would like to know approximately how many are left in circulation. i know they are incredibly rare as i have been collecting for three years now and have all of the 50ps round pounds and two pounds in circulation. Thanks, Harry.
Hi Harry, that’s very lucky! Congratulations!! Only 210,000 were struck for circulation, making it the UK’s rarest 50p in circulation. Whilst we can’t say how many have now been removed from circulation by collectors, I think it’s fair to say that any collector who comes across one is pretty certain to hold onto it! They currently sell for around £102 on eBay.
Hi Rachel These scarcity indexes seem to distort the app information especially with the £2 coins for example the wireless has gone up in points but is put on the “app” as common and vice versa with some of the others that have gone down in points being in the harder to source group.
Hi Esme, we are in the process of updating the web app to reflect the latest Scarcity Index update. Thanks, Rachel
Hi Rachel
I AM NOT TRYING TO SELL OR BUY ANYTHING BUT DEPENDING ON HOW YOU COLLECT THIS INFORMATION JUST MIGHT BE OF INTEREST TO OTHER 50P COIN COLLECTORS.
I HAVE BEEN COLLECTING COINS FOR A LONG TIME NOW AND IN MY QUEST TO COMPLETE EVERY ( DATE RUN ) COIN I NOW HAVE 151 DIFFERENT UK 50P COINS IN MY COLLECTION SO FAR AND THIS DOES NOT INCUDE ANY OF THE BRITISH TERITORY SUCH AS IOM, JERSEY, FALKLAND AND SO ON.
IF ANY ONE WANTS TO EMAIL ME THEN THAT WOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM AND I WILL LET THEM KNOW WHICH IN MY OPPINION WHICH IS THE RAREST 50P AFTER THE RECALLED AQUATICS.
REGARDS
LES.
Thanks for sharing Les. If you’re looking to swap these coins then you can try posting on the Change Checker Community Facebook group. Thanks, Rachel
Why is Mrs Tittlemouse not included in the scarcity index? I have found her one of the hardest Beatrice Potter 50ps to find.
Hi Christine, unfortunately we don’t have the mintage figures for the 2018 50ps yet, so these ones aren’t included on the Scarcity Index.
Hi Rachel
I have a z letter 10p in one of my collection, and was wondering how much it could be worth
Thanks Jo
Congrats on finding an A-Z 10p Jo! Unfortunately we don’t offer valuations, but you can use our 6 point guide to help you with this: https://www.changechecker.org/2018/08/02/could-i-be-minted-the-6-point-guide-to-valuing-your-coin/
Hi Rachel. I want to know your thoughts on what the value of the alphabet 10p coins will be in near future seen as there are 2018-2019 dated ones and 2019 having less mintage figure, would that make them more valuable than the 2018 ones? Thank you
Hi Ian, that’s a great question. At the moment we don’t know if any more 2019 A-Z 10ps will be released into circulation, but if the mintage figures stays at 2.1 million compared to the 5.6 million that were released in 2018 then this could potentially make the 2019 coins more sought-after. It would also be interesting to see what the individual mintages figures are for each design.
Are the coins listed for sale on official websites (Westminster/Royal Mint etc) included in mintage figures? I have bought a few 10p’s and thus updated my “collection” on this app. I’m thinking though that if they aren’t included in mintage figures then that could distort these scarcity charts-especially if lots of people do it. Are mintage figures purely what is being put into circulation?
Hi Craig, the mintage figures used on the Scarcity Index are for circulation coins only. Thanks, Rachel
Hi Rachael . Can you explain to me how the swap list works. The reason I ask is I see the same names appear in all of my swap lists as if they want everything and yet I never receive a response??
The site works by you listing what coins you have in your collection, and then also listing what coins you have spare of in your swaps. The site then matches you up with someone who has a coin listed in their swaps that you do not have listed in your collection, and who likewise needs a coin that you have listed in your swaps. We have recently put into place 6 weekly updates that clear any inactive swaps in order to make sure swaps requests aren’t being sent to inactive users. You should find that new potential swaps appear from these updates.
Because some people are a lot older and do not have any idea how to use ebay let alone price the products they want to sell. We weren’t all taught how to use computers in school you may be aware of this fact so please do not get annoyed over stupid things.
Hi Rachel I was wondering if there was any information as to when the new mintage figures will be released for the 2018 50p coins?
Hi Ian, we don’t have any news yet, but it can be up to a year or two following the release of the coins that we actually find out the mintage figures. I think it’s always worth holding onto your new coins until you know the mintage figures as you never know how rare they might turn out to be.
I have studied the August scarcity index but cannot see any of the 2018 Potter coins listed – they are being swapped so you must have an idea of demand. Can you explain please.
Hi Pam, unfortunately we can’t include these coins as we don’t have their mintage figures yet. It will be really interesting to see how the index changes when the mintage figures are revealed and we can add these ones into the mix!
How is it possible in this day and age, that some people clearly know how to use the internet and post on sites yet don’t know how to use ebay and value their items and sell them?, it takes minutes. Seriously, I don’t get it!
I would happily help value your coins. Please email some pictures.
I have an endless amounts of rare £2 and 50p coins of in good condition. Im wanting to sell them and need to know the value of them all. Please can you tell me how i can sell them and i do not have an ebay account. Would it be possible for you to email the coins worth so i can sell them.
Many thanks, Kellie
Hi Kellie, congrats on building up your collection. Unfortunately we don’t offer valuations, however you could contact a member of the British Numismatics Trade Association who could help sell your collection. Best of luck.
How to and where to sell my coin collection?
Hi Gary, check out the 6 point guide to help you sell your coins: https://www.changechecker.org/2018/08/02/could-i-be-minted-the-6-point-guide-to-valuing-your-coin/