2020 Scarcity Index Update!

We’re excited to reveal to you the very first Scarcity Index of 2020!

The updated 50p, A-Z 10p and £2 indexes below allow you to discover how sought-after the coins in your collection really are…

This information has been compiled using data from the Change Checker Swap Centre 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.

50p Scarcity Index

The previous Scarcity Index update saw some exciting changes to the 50p index, as we were able to include the 2018 50p coins following the release of their mintage figures.

This was great news for Change Checkers who have the 2018 Beatrix Potter 50ps in their collection, as both the Flopsy Bunny and Peter Rabbit 50ps have proved incredibly sought-after.

Despite both coins having the same mintage figure of 1,400,000, the Flopsy Bunny 50p is the most sought-after of the Beatrix Potter coins and is in fact the scarcest non-Olympic 50p coin in circulation, aside from of course the Kew Gardens 50p – the UK’s most sought-after circulation 50p.

Whilst both the Flopsy Bunny and 2018 Peter Rabbit 50ps have moved up the index one place since the last update, the other 2018 50ps haven’t fared quite so well, with the Mrs Tittlemouse and Paddington at the Station both moving down the index and the other 2018 50ps remaining unchanged.

The biggest mover on this latest Scarcity Index update goes to the Olympic Fencing 50p, which has moved up the index an incredible twelve places, following its five place drop on the previous update.

As we look forward to the Olympic Games which will be held in Tokyo later this year, perhaps we’ll see more of the Olympic 50ps increase in popularity by the next Scarcity Index update.

A-Z 10p Scarcity Index

We’re used to seeing quite a bit of movement on the A-Z 10p index as these particularly tricky-to-find coins are snapped up by collectors.

Interestingly, in this latest update only the top and bottom coins have remained unchanged, with B for Bond staying on top spot as the current scarcest A-Z 10p coin in circulation.

For many, this coin seems to be a firm favourite from the A-Z of Great Britain collection which was released in 2018, so it comes as no surprise that it has found its way to the top of the list.

P for Postbox is unfortunately bottom of the pile once again, although it’s worth remembering that all of these coins are considered sought-after and collectors fortunate enough to come across just one will be considering themselves lucky.

The biggest movers on the latest 10p index update are W for World Wide Web and S for Stonehenge, which have both moved up the index by 14 places.

S for Stonehenge actually dropped by 14 places in the previous index, so this could be the coin levelling back out again.

It will be interesting to see how the index changes as more collectors come across these coins and as we await the release of the 2019 mintage figures. We currently know that 220,000 of each design entered circulation in 2018 and a further 2.1 million coins overall were released in 2019, but exact figures for individual 2019 designs are currently unknown.

£2 Scarcity Index

Following the 2018 mintage figure reveal, we know that no £2 coins have entered circulation since 2016, so the £2 index continues to remain fairly stable with no new coins to add to the mix.

The top five coins are unchanged since the last index and it comes as no surprise that the Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland £2 remains on the top spot, as this £2 has a mintage figure of just 485,500 and is considered incredibly sought-after amongst collectors.

All three Olympic themed £2 coins (Olympic Handover, Olympic Centenary and London 2012 Handover) also remain very close to the top of the index and I wonder if the Tokyo Olympics this year will affect the scarcity of these already very popular coins.

The biggest mover on the £2 index is the Florence Nightingale coin, which has moved up by six places, whilst the 60th Anniversary of World War Two coin has moved down by five places to the third from bottom space.

As I’m sure you’ll agree, it would be fantastic to see some new £2 coins entering circulation and how they might affect the £2 Scarcity Index. Fingers crossed they’ll be enough demand for these coins to enter circulation soon!

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

Change Checker Web App Banner 2 Amends 1024x233 1 1024x233 - Your January 2019 Scarcity Index update!

Sign up today at: www.changechecker.org/app

18 Comments

  1. richard myers on March 6, 2020 at 8:06 pm

    I agree with Barry Wilshaw re. impossibility of ‘collecting’ many new 50p & £2 coins – they can only be bought
    usually at very high prices which many collectors can’t afford. It’s a real money-spinner for the Royal Mint, but makes a mockery of the term ‘collecting’. Surely the release of new coins would create an instant demand, and
    not just among collectors.



  2. Matt on March 5, 2020 at 6:22 pm

    What about the 2018 Isaac Newton 50p, these were only available from the royal mint, do you have any mintage figures for these SYO coins?



    • Alexandra Siddons on March 6, 2020 at 1:27 pm

      Hi Matt,
      We don’t have the mintage figures for any Strike Your Own coins. You would have to contact The Royal Mint to get hold of these 🙂
      Thanks.



  3. Dee on March 4, 2020 at 6:47 am

    Hi there. I have come across a £2 coin. 2000. It’s standing on the shoulders of giants. It as a couple of errors.and also the center of it seems loose.was wondering the value.thanks



    • Rachel Hooper on March 4, 2020 at 8:52 am

      Hi Dee, this is the definitive Technology £2. It sounds as though this coin might have been tampered with if the center seems loose. Unfortunately this wouldn’t add any extra value to the coin, but certainly makes for interesting collecting!



  4. Nas on March 2, 2020 at 12:07 am

    How much is a 2015 £2 Britannia worth?
    Thanks



  5. Shaunmichael Mackin on February 13, 2020 at 10:30 am

    Dinosaurs going into circulation…..Have the Royal Mint”, really thought about their release……



  6. Lesley on February 13, 2020 at 6:11 am

    Hi Rachel,
    Welcome back, hope you’re feeling better.
    Thank you for the updated lists, they are really helpful.
    Lesley ?



    • Rachel Hooper on February 13, 2020 at 8:11 am

      Hi Lesley, I’m feeling much better now, thanks so much for asking 🙂 Really pleased to hear you’ve found the Scarcity Index helpful.



    • Sean.slater on February 23, 2020 at 1:30 pm

      Aa01 any one now how much there selling for if got 17 of them had them the day thay come out ???



  7. Graham Bowman on February 12, 2020 at 1:01 pm

    Absolutely Brilliant information and very interesting.



    • Rachel Hooper on February 12, 2020 at 3:18 pm

      Thanks Graham, really pleased to hear you’ve found the article helpful.



  8. Roger Marshall on February 11, 2020 at 3:44 pm

    In 2015 , the Queen’s head changed from 4th to 5th in March ;- how does this affect the scarcity of the 4th heads of WW1 Battleship / Magna Carta coins , as there was only 2 months’ worth of minting time for them ?
    In fact , now we’ve mentioned it , are there any records of the numbers minted of each of the 4th & 5th versions ?



    • Rachel Hooper on February 12, 2020 at 1:23 pm

      Hi Roger, great question. Just 100 Navy £2 coins featuring the 4th portrait were issued and this was part of a special promotional activity, with coins available for visitors on the HMS Belfast. The other 650,000 Navy £2 coins issued for circulation feature the 5th portrait. Mintage figures from The Royal Mint suggest that only the 5th portrait was used for the Magna Carta £2 coins in circulation. Circulating mintage figures for both coins are taken directly from The Royal Mint and used when compiling the Scarcity Index.



      • Barry Wilshaw on March 5, 2020 at 3:34 pm

        Hi Rachel, why have no £2 coins been released since 2016 this makes Chang checking and swapping a waste of time you can’t complete your collections unless you buy them direct at very high prices.

        Regards Barry



      • Alexandra Siddons on March 6, 2020 at 1:32 pm

        Hi Barry,
        That’s a great question!
        The quantities of UK coins The Royal Mint is asked to produce each year varies according to UK demand for specific denominations at the time. Whilst the £2 coins in 2017 were intended for circulation, there was no demand from banks and cash houses for these coins, therefore they couldn’t be put into circulation.
        It hasn’t been confirmed as the main reason, but this could be because we saw the introduction of the 12-sided £1 coins in 2016, which have incredibly high mintage figures.
        It would be great to see a new £2 coin in 2020 enter circulation!
        Thanks,
        Alex