It’s (Greenwich Mean)time for your latest Scarcity Index Update!

It’s time for the latest Scarcity Index update, your chance to discover the UK’s most sought after circulation 10p, 50p and £2 coins.

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 update.

Where will the first King Charles III 50p rank?

Excitingly, the first circulating coin to feature King Charles III on the obverse – the Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Memoriam 50p – entered the Scarcity Index for the first time in our previous update.

2022 UK Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Memoriam 50p
2022 UK Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Memoriam 50p

As this is only the second time a King Charles III 50p has featured in our Scarcity Index, it currently ranks as common. Despite entering circulation almost a year ago, the Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Memoriam 50p will still be making its way into collections, and those who do find one in their change will no doubt be holding onto it.

Keep your eyes peeled for future Scarcity Index updates to see where the first King Charles III 50p will rank!

Haven’t found this coin in your change yet? Find out where in the UK you’re most likely to find one here >>

50p Scarcity Index

Whilst the latter half of the 50p index has remained fairly stable, there have been some huge movers in this latest update.

Climbing an impressive 14 places is the second coin in the Paddington 50p series – the 2019 Paddington at St Paul’s Cathedral 50p. The Paddington 50p series was incredibly popular with collectors, and inspired many younger people to start collecting. The Paddington at St Paul’s Cathedral 50p was even voted the second favourite coin in the series in a 2019 poll.

2019 Paddington at St Paul's Cathedral 50p
2019 Paddington at St Paul’s Cathedral 50p

Another 50p that shot up the ranks is the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 50p, which moved up a massive 15 places. This 50p has previously been sitting near the bottom of the Scarcity Index, making it one of the most common 50ps in circulation, however it looks like it could now be becoming more sought after among collectors.

There has also been movement amongst some of the Olympic 50ps, with the Fencing and Gymnastics 50ps both moving up 10 places. This puts them near the top of the index, which is usually reserved for some of the rarest 50ps in circulation.

Some less fortunate coins are the Mrs Tiggy-Winkle 50p which has dropped by 15 places, and the Roger Bannister 50p which fell 14 places.

If you’re new to collecting and want to find out more about circulation coins, you can check out our fact files here >>

Otherwise, keep reading to find out which 10ps and £2 coins you should be looking out for.

10p Scarcity Index

There has been quite a shuffle up on the A-Z 10p Scarcity Index, with all but 3 coins moving.

The biggest change since the last update is the previously ‘less common’ C for Cricket 10p, which has dropped 12 places. Also moving down the ranks are the E for English Breakfast 10p and the O for Oak 10p, which fell by 9 and 10 places respectively.

It’s not all bad news though, as the G for Greenwich Meantime 10p climbed 10 places and the K for King Arthur 10p rose by 8 places.

2018 G for Greenwich Meantime 10p
2018 G for Greenwich Meantime 10p

*Note*
It’s worth remembering that this Index is only ranking the 10ps against each other, when really even the ones at the bottom of the list are still incredibly sought-after and even now (4 years on since they were last released) they are still the coins every collector seems to talk about!

And that’s no surprise, as a maximum of JUST 304,000 of each A-Z 10p design entered circulation across 2018 and 2019 – making them some of the rarest coins out there. So make sure you keep your eyes peeled for them in your change!

£2 Scarcity Index

We tend to see less movement on the £2 index due to the fact less coins have entered circulation in recent years – as you can see from the bottom of the latest £2 Index. However, it’s worth remembering just how rare and collectable some of these coins are, even after being in circulation for so many years.

As always, the Commonwealth Games N. Ireland £2 remains at the top of the list due to it’s incredibly low mintage of just 485,000.

The 2014 Trinity House £2 has recovered the 7 places it fell by in the last update, putting it back into the ‘less common’ category. However, the Darwin £2 and the Gunpowder Plot £2 have both gone down by 6 places. This could be due to people holding onto their Gunpowder Plot £2 during Firework Night, meaning less swaps were raised for it.

2005 Gunpowder Plot £2
2005 Gunpowder Plot £2

Despite less £2s entering circulation, it’s certainly still worth holding onto any coins you can find, before they’re snapped up!


How your Scarcity Index works

Generally collectors have relied on 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.

What’s more, some designs are more hoarded than others by people who might not normally collect coins – for example the First World War £2 Coin series.

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. This allows Change Checkers to track the relative performance of the UK’s circulation coins.


How much are my coins worth?

The Scarcity Index doesn’t necessarily equate to value, but it is certainly a good indicator. For example, the Kew Gardens 50p coin commands a premium of up to 200 times face value on eBay and is unsurprisingly top of the 50p Index.

You can use our 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. Because they are no longer being issued, this is now set in stone.


Receive new UK coins without the hassle of placing orders on the day of release!

Join the Change Checker UK CERTIFIED BU Subscription Service and receive new UK coins sent to your door without the hassle of placing orders on the day of release!

Don’t miss your chance to get ahead of the crowd and be one of the very first collectors to receive the latest UK new issue coins as soon as possible after their release.

The biggest movers yet! Your Scarcity Index Update…

It’s time for your latest Scarcity Index update, where we reveal the UK’s most sought after circulation 10p, 50p and £2 coins.

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

50p Scarcity Index
50p Scarcity Index

Since our last update, the top 4 circulating 50ps have stayed strong with no movement. This means the Kew Gardens 50p is of course, still right at the top, closely followed by the Olympic Judo 50p.

Further down, we’ve seen some huge movers like the Olympic Boccia 50p which has climbed 13 places and the Beatrix Potter 50p which is up 10 places. The 2017 Peter Rabbit 50p which has also shot up 15 places!

There have also been some not so fortunate coins though. The Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 50p has dropped 18 places and the 50 Years of Pride 50p is down an astonishing 27 places. The Pride 50p only entered circulation in October 2022, so perhaps most of them have made their way safely into your collections, or maybe they’re still out there waiting to be found.

If you’re new to collecting and want to find out more about circulation coins, you can check out our fact files here >>

Otherwise, keep reading to find out which 10ps and £2 coins you should be looking out for.

10p Scarcity Index

10p Scarcity Index
10p Scarcity Index

It’s all change on our 10p index this time, as every single coin has moved!

One to keep your eye on is the Angel of the North 10p which has climbed a massive 20 places since our last update. The Angel of the North sculpture in Gateshead, has become one of the most recognizable pieces of public art ever. It’s also thought to be the largest sculpture of an angel in the world. So it’s no wonder the 10p has shot up in the rankings.

We’ve also seen big moves from the Bond 007 10p which is up 14 places. This could possibly be due to the recent anniversary marking 60 years since the first James Bond book was published.

Sadly though, the X marks the spot 10p’s rise in the last update was short lived. It’s fallen by 17 places, putting it at the bottom of the list.

Remember, a maximum of JUST 304,000 of each A-Z 10p design entered circulation in 2018 and 2019, making them some of the most sought-after coins out there. So make sure you keep your eyes peeled for them in your change!

£2 Scarcity Index

£2 Scarcity Index
£2 Scarcity Index

The £2 index remains fairly stable. This is to be expected as we’ve not had a £2 coin enter circulation since 2016.

Of course, remaining at the top of the Index is the 2002 Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland £2. With a mintage figure of just 458,000, it’s one of the rarest and clearly still one of the most popular £2 coin designs, even 20 years after entering circulation!

A few others creeping up the ranks are the Gunpowder Plot £2 which has climbed 5 places. The Shakespeare Histories £2 has gone up 7 places.

The biggest mover though is the Florence Nightingale £2 which has fallen 10 places.

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. This allows 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 our 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. Because they are no longer being issued, this is now set in stone.

Receive new UK coins without the hassle of placing orders on the day of release!

Join the Change Checker UK CERTIFIED BU Subscription Service and receive new UK coins sent to your door without the hassle of placing orders on the day of release!

Don’t miss your chance to get ahead of the crowd and be one of the very first collectors to receive the latest UK new issue coins as soon as possible after their release.

NEW 50p ENTRANTS and HUGE shake-ups! Your latest Scarcity Index Update…

It’s time for your latest Scarcity Index update, where we reveal the UK’s most sought-after circulation coins of the last three months!

Our 50p Index sees TWO new entrants with the issue of Platinum Jubilee and Pride 50ps into circulation, with our £2 and 10p Indexes both seeing HUGE shake-ups.

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.

50p Index

As we received updated mintage figures for the Pride and Platinum Jubilee 50p coins, they also made their debut in our 50p Index!

Ahead of the Platinum Jubilee weekend, the Royal Mint issued a further 1 million Platinum Jubilee 50p coins into circulation, meaning there are now 2.3 million out there for Change Checkers to find!

To celebrate 50 years since the first UK Pride Event, a brand new Pride 50p was issued into circulation, with a circulating mintage of 5 million!

As more Change Checkers find these coins in their change, it’ll be great to see how their position on our 50p Index shapes up.

Other key movers include the Triathlon 50p, which has climbed 5 places, now sitting in second place on our Scarcity Index.

The Paddington at the Palace 50p has also climbed an impressive 14 places. It seems Paddington’s appearance at Her Majesty’s Party at the Palace has driven up the collectability of this coin!

A-Z 10p Index

This quarter, the Robin 10p takes the top spot again after climbing 3 places! Just 284,000 of these 10p coins were issued between 2018 and 2019, making it one of the rarest 10p coins out there!

Looking elsewhere on the index, the Fish and Chips 10p has climbed 8 spots. With all the recent lovely sunshine we’ve been treated to, it seems that collectors are on the hunt for their favourite seaside treat!

Other key movers include the Postbox and Union Jack 10p coins, which have moved 8 and 9 places respectively.

Regardless of where they feature in the above index, if you have any of the A-Z 10ps in your collection you should consider yourself very lucky. A maximum of only 304,000 of each design entered circulation!

£2 Scarcity Index

There’s been a huge shake-up to our £2 Scarcity Index this quarter with the Commonwealth Games Wales £2 bumping back up into the top five.

The Wireless Transmission £2 coin has also made a climb up the board (by 14 places). As 4,558,000 have entered circulation since 1997, it can be quite a task to find one in your change. Have you got this coin in your collection?

Other coins to watch include the DNA £2, which has climbed by 5 places, and the Britannia £2, which climbed by 4.

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.

Receive new UK coins without the hassle of placing orders on the day of release!

Join the Change Checker UK CERTIFIED BU Subscription Service and receive new UK coins sent to your door without the hassle of placing orders on the day of release!

Don’t miss your chance to get ahead of the crowd and be one of the very first collectors to receive the latest UK new issue coins as soon as possible after their release.