It’s time for Tea! 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 again for the A-Z 10ps, as Tea establishes itself in top spot…
With less cash being used because of the current climate, it’s likely this is affecting collecting and it seems this has exposed some new trends on the indexes!
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’ve seen another big mix up for the latest A-Z 10p Scarcity Index update, with a new leader taking top spot!
In our last Scarcity Index, we saw B for Bond knocked off the top spot by the NHS 10p, but now we’ve seen both of these coins move further down the pack, by 11 and 4 points respectively. The Tea 10p takes the top spot for the first time and Bond now sits at the lowest we’ve seen since our A-Z 10p Scarcity Index started!
Other key movers to keep an eye on are the Y for Yeoman Warders and G for Greenwich Meantime 10ps, both moving up the index by 8 places.
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
We can’t quite believe it, but it looks as though the Olympic Football 50p has been knocked off second place by the Judo 50p this quarter! However, it’s not done enough to take the top spot, as it sits 18 points behind the scarcest 50p coin in circulation, the Kew Gardens. But, are you lucky enough to have the Judo 50p in your collection? Let us know in the comments below.
There’s been quite a lot of shuffling around with the Olympic 50ps, with Table Tennis moving up the index by 16 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.
Since our last Scarcity Index update, we’ve seen the 2018 Peter Rabbit climb 2 places but the 2018 Flopsy Bunny 50p has dropped down by 4 places. As the two rarest Beatrix Potter 50ps in circulation, it’s interesting to see them move in opposite directions on the index, so we’ll be keeping our eye on these over the next quarter…
£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, now 20 points above the second most sought-after £2 coin in circulation.
There’s been a slight reshuffling on the top half of the index, with the Commonwealth Games England and Scotland, switching positions from the last index! We’ve also seen the King James Bible £2 jump up 4 places, bringing it 6th position.
In the bottom half of the index, there’s been some big shakers! The Shakespeare Histories £2 has dropped a huge 13 points, pushing into the penultimate spot, and Florence Nightingale has also dropped by 6 points!
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.
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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
Is there an index for the NEW £1 coins and the £5 coins? Thanks
Hi Paul,
We don’t have an index for the new £1 coins or £5 coins yet. If this is something Change Checkers would be interested in, we will definitely consider it!
Thanks,
Alex
Yes we are lucky enough to have a Judo 50 pence coin, ?
From Shelly & Rob Murphy
Wow! You guys are very lucky! Will you be keeping hold of it? 🙂
I cannot find the mintage data. It used to be under the Mintage drop-down…… but isn’t there any longer. It was very useful.
Hi Jignesh,
If you click Coin Info on our homepage, then Mintage Figures, you’ll find our Mintage Figures there. You may need to scroll down and select the next page but the 50p Mintage blog can be found here at the bottom: https://www.changechecker.org/category/mintages/page/2/
Hope this helps!
Alex
Hi I have a issac newton 50p. When you look on the side with the queens head on you can see some of the pattern from the other side is this rare?
HI Mark,
I’ve not heard of this before and i’d love to take a look at the coin! Please feel free to email [email protected] with a photo and i’ll get back to you there 🙂
Thanks,
Alex
Hi I have the complete beatrix potter collection all 15. I have the complete 2011 team GB olympic collection including 2016 team GB and 2020 team GB. All of the peter pan collection all 12. The three dinosaurs, the two innovation in science ones, Wallace and grommit and all of the other coins which are in circulation, I just cannot for love nor money get hold of 2009 kew gardens I’ve gone through bags and bags of 50p’s but I’m sure I’ll come across it one day, it is the only one I need to complete my collection I have the 2019 but it’s not the same as having the original it’s so frustrating!!@
Hi Mark,
Sounds like you’ve got a great collection there! Keep on searching for the Kew Gardens 50p, you never know when it might pop up in your change!
Thanks,
Alex
I have a tom kitten 50p just wandering what if any one would no if its worth a lot or just face value
Seems strange,but I have most of the scarce 10p’s and find it more difficult obtaining the less scarce ones….go figure.
Wow, you must be very lucky Ray!
Have the 2019 mintage figures been released by the Mint yet?
Hi Tony,
Unfortunately, not yet. We will keep Change Checkers updated as soon as these become available.
Thanks,
Alex
I have all the above 50p circulated except Kew, that’s a proof, have about 50% of the £2 coins but I am staying away from the 10p as they are more trouble than they are worth!!
Hi
I have a 2 pound coin shakspear jester, around the bottom half front and back you can hardley see the writing.
I have all the Olympic games 50ps 3 times and 2 sets of the european games sets and 2 of the cities £1 coin sets and 2 of the Kew Garden 50p one i came across in my change and it weighs 8 grams and the other is from the Royal Mint in the original presentation folder. i also have one of the swimming 50p without the lines across the face which also weighs 8grams. I take it all these are worth a Fortune
Hi Den,
That’s a very impressive collection of coins you’ve got! Whilst we can’t provide any valuations for your coins, you can use our 6 point guide to valuing your own coin to help you: https://www.changechecker.org/2018/08/02/could-i-be-minted-the-6-point-guide-to-valuing-your-coin/
Thanks,
Alex
I have the complete set of the Olympic 50p
The original Kew gardens 50p
And three Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland £2 + the other Commonwealth Games £2
Wow! That’s a very impressive collection Alan 🙂
Where is the 2020 Olympic 50p in the listings
Hi Ray,
Our Scarcity Index only includes circulating coinages as it is calculated using mintage figures.
Thanks,
Alex
Can you let me know, which new £2 coins will be released into circulation?
Hi Kevin,
Unfortunately we don’t have any information yet on which 2020 dated £2 coins will be entering circulation.
However, all of the £2 coins in this Scarcity Index have already been released into circulation 🙂
Thanks,
Alex
Is team GB correct for the 50p’s? Seems to be set at a very high price on eBay
Hi Brad,
The Team GB is the 2016 dated one: https://www.changechecker.org/coin/273/50p-Team-GB.aspx
As the 2020 Team GB was never issued into circulation, it doesn’t feature in our Scarcity Index.
Thanks,
Alex
Great information thank you
Thank you Paul 🙂
I have a 2006 VC 50p coin how many are there in circulation.
Hi Anthony, the Victoria Cross Medal 50p has a circulating mintage of 12,087,000 and the Victoria Cross Heroic Acts (soldier) has a circulating mintage of 10,000,500.
Hope this helps 🙂
Alex
Still haven’t seen the lettered 10p coins in Bournemouth, why is this?
Hi Philip,
A friend of mine came across one in Bournemouth recently, so they are out there! They’re just tricky to find as they have low mintage figures and are incredibly popular with collectors 🙂
Keep on searching!
Thanks,
Alex