NHS 10p takes top spot! Your Scarcity Index Update…

It’s time for your latest Scarcity Index update, where we’ll reveal the UK’s most sought-after circulation coins of the last three months! And it’s all change for the A-Z 10ps, as NHS establishes itself in top spot…

You can use the updated A-Z 10p, 50p and £2 indexes below 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.

A-Z 10p Scarcity Index

Well we really have seen quite a mix up for the latest A-Z 10p Scarcity Index update, with a new leader taking top spot!

B for Bond has not only been knocked off the top spot, but has actually dropped 11 places down towards the middle of the pack.

In its place we have a very worthy winner and it comes as no surprise that the most sought-after A-Z 10p is currently N for NHS. Now, more than ever, the NHS is playing a vital role to keep us safe and well during the coronavirus pandemic and so it seems only fitting that this 10p has grown in popularity. Acting as a reminder of the strength, hope and support of not only our National Health Service, but the British people as a whole during this unpreceded time in history.

Other key movers to keep an eye on are the F for Fish and Chips and M for Mackintosh 10ps, moving up the index 11 and 9 places respectively.

Regardless of where they feature on the above index, if you have any of the A-Z 10ps in your collection you should consider yourself lucky, as they are particularly hard to come by in circulation and each design has a relatively low mintage (just 220,000 of each design released in 2018 and 2.1 million overall in 2019).

50p Scarcity Index

The 50p Scarcity Index has remained fairly stable at the top and bottom, with Kew Gardens holding strong in the top spot, a whole 12 points ahead of the second scarcest 50p in circulation, the Olympic Football.

There’s been a bit of a shuffle around with the Olympic 50ps, with Wheelchair Rugby moving up the index by 11 places! Although it’s definitely worth noting that all of the Olympic 50ps are particularly sought-after due to their low mintage figures and an estimated 75% have been removed from circulation by collectors, making them even harder to get hold of.

Perhaps we’ll see the popularity of these coins increase further next year when the Olympic Games will be held in Tokyo, following their postponement this year.

Another couple of sought-after 50ps we’ve been keeping our eyes on are the 2018 Peter Rabbit and Flopsy Bunny coins. Since making an appearance on the index for the first time towards the end of last year, they’ve since been creeping their way up and up. In this update, Peter Rabbit has moved up by 3 places and Flopsy Bunny by 4! As the two rarest Beatrix Potter 50ps in circulation, it’s no wonder these coins are so sought-after, but are you lucky enough to have them in your collection?

£2 Scarcity Index

The top five coins on the £2 index remain strong, with the Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland keeping its position at the top, 18 points above the second most sought-after £2 coin in circulation.

We’ve seen little activity throughout the top half of the index, with only a few coins shuffling one or two places.

However there’s been a bit more movement in the second half of the index, with the key coin to watch being the 60th Anniversary of the End of World War Two (commonly known as St Paul’s Cathedral) £2. This coin has moved up the index by 4 places and the increased popularity could possibly be due to the significant anniversary year, as 2020 marks 75 years since the end of World War Two.

We’re yet to see any new £2 coins in our change since demand has been so low, although I’m sure I speak for many collectors when I say we eagerly anticipate the release of new £2’s into circulation, hopefully in the near future.

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

20 Comments

  1. Gerry on June 2, 2020 at 11:54 pm

    Hi, I have a full set of 2018 10pence and a full set of 2019 10pence
    How valuable do you think they are



  2. CHRIS SUMNER on June 2, 2020 at 2:50 pm

    We have had little or no sign of the A-Z series down here in DEVON,

    How do they release the circulated coins



    • Alexandra Siddons on June 3, 2020 at 8:06 am

      Hi Chris, after the demand is set from UK banks and post offices, in the first instance, coins are issued to cash centres and end up in your pockets via bank branches, the retail industry, the vending industry, pubs and car parks.
      They are very popular amongst collectors, and with their low mintages it does makes them a little tricky to find. Keep on searching though, you never know when one might turn up in your change!



  3. Peter on May 11, 2020 at 4:33 pm

    Aww no are the team fb going to be curclated woth 2020 on them



    • Rachel Hooper on May 12, 2020 at 8:22 am

      Hi Peter, the 2020 versions of the coin will only be available in the year sets.



  4. Tony H. on May 8, 2020 at 7:06 am

    Do they plan to release the 2020 Olympic 50p into circulation? I guess the mint will have to do a 2021 50 pence as well surely?



  5. Chief Of Coins on May 8, 2020 at 12:31 am

    I love the new releases of the Scarcity indexes, they really do give a more accurate representation of my coin collection, I have currently spent over £500 pounds on it and I have my ongoing total as a spreadsheet. I watch all of your vids and read all the blogs. Well Done!!!



    • Rachel Hooper on May 12, 2020 at 8:28 am

      Thanks so much for your kind words. I’m really pleased you enjoy our blogs and videos. Sounds like you’ve got a really great collection on the go 🙂 Keep it up!



  6. ken on May 7, 2020 at 7:16 pm

    HI rachel if only 2,100000 of the 2019 ten pences were released,then in theory 2,100000 divide by 26 = 80,769 making the 2019 tenpence A to Z the rarest coins to have been put into circulation, almost three times rarer than the kew gardens coin.



    • Rachel Hooper on May 12, 2020 at 8:30 am

      Hi Ken, yes it would make each individual 2019 A-Z 10p incredibly rare! Which then makes it understandable why they are so hard to come by.



  7. Mike Solomon on May 7, 2020 at 1:54 pm

    How can it be that after all this time, I still have only the ‘F’ from the first run – and have seen no other coin in first or second series. Really am bitterly disappointed. Got all but 1 x 50p, 2 x missing £1 and 3 x missing £2 !!!



  8. Malcolm on May 7, 2020 at 9:58 am

    Brilliant…i have 2 kew gardens and NHS got 3 love your blogs rachel, keep it up



    • Rachel Hooper on May 7, 2020 at 3:30 pm

      Wow, that’s amazing going! Thanks Malcolm, glad you like the blogs 🙂



  9. andrew orchard on May 7, 2020 at 9:53 am

    Hi whats happened to the 2020 tokyo GB 50p coin that took top spot of the kew gardens 50p?



    • Rachel Hooper on May 7, 2020 at 3:30 pm

      Hi Andrew, this coin hasn’t been released into circulation yet, but it will certainly be interesting to see what happens when it is!



      • Clive on May 7, 2020 at 11:58 pm

        I thought it had been decided that the Team GB 2020 coin would not be circulated because of the postponement of the Olympics



      • Rachel Hooper on May 12, 2020 at 8:26 am

        Hi Clive, the 2020 Team GB 50p is only available in the year sets, but will be individually released next year. You can find out more here: https://www.changechecker.org/2020/04/28/could-the-2020-team-gb-become-the-most-sought-after-50p-ever/



      • andrew orchard on May 10, 2020 at 8:35 pm

        Oh ok thanks Rachel i bought one the other day hope it was a good investment.