Posts Tagged ‘50p Coin’
Where can you find the UK Coronation 50ps and how much are they worth?
On 10th August 2023, 5 million UK King Charles III Coronation 50ps entered circulation. Collectors were keen to get their hands on one, with many trying to get them directly from banks and post offices, and some hoping to find one in their change.
We wanted to know where the Coronation 50ps were being found, so we opened our collector map to track them up and down the country. In just over two months, nearly 550 collectors input their postcode to let us know where they found the Coronation 50p, so let’s take a look at where in the UK you’re most likely to find one…
Where can you find the UK Coronation 50ps?
We’ve gathered the data from our collector map, and we can reveal the 5 places you’re most likely to find a Coronation 50p in your change are…
5. Leicester
2.5% of Coronation 50ps were found in Leicester.
4. Norwich
2.6% of Coronation 50ps were found in Norwich.
3. Cardiff
2.8% of Coronation 50ps were found in Cardiff.
2. Derby
2.9% of Coronation 50ps were found in Derby.
1. Birmingham
5.1% of Coronation 50ps were found in Birmingham.
You can view the full collector map here to check how many Coronation 50ps have been found in your area.
How much is the UK Coronation 50p worth?
A common question we get is ‘how much is the Coronation 50p worth?’. Many factors determine the value of a coin, but ultimately it depends on what someone is prepared to pay for it.
We’ve used our eBay Tracker formula to work out how much a circulation Coronation 50p might be worth. As you can see, they are selling on the secondary market for around £2.79, which is a 458% increase from the face value.
So now you know where in the UK you have the highest chance of finding a Coronation 50p in your change, and how much you could expect to pay for one on the secondary market.
Owners of the Coronation 50p also own a small piece of history as it’s the first ever UK Coronation 50p to be issued. If you haven’t had any luck finding the Coronation 50p in your change, you can secure the crowned collectors version in Brilliant Uncirculated quality for just £4.99 (+£2.99 postage) here >>
What’s next for UK coinage?
It’s all change for UK coinage, as we’ve been treated to eight brand new designs that will feature on our everyday coinage! These new UK coins represent British wildlife and conservation, a passion of King Charles III.
Find out more about the UK’s New Coinage here or to secure the complete New UK Coinage set for your collection, click here >>
What are Definitive Coins?
Whilst new commemorative coins are issued each year to celebrate some of the UK’s most important anniversaries, did you know that the coins most readily found in our day-to-day change feature the same designs each year?
These are known as the ‘definitive’ coins, and it’s actually been a whole 15 years since we last saw a change to their reverse designs!
But, as we now enter a new era of King Charles III, it’s #AllChange for our humble definitive coins, with eight brand new designs set to be revealed this year…
From the 1p to the £2, these coins have formed the UK’s circulating currency for over 50 years.
In this blog, we’ll take a look at the history of UK definitive coins and what the future might bring as we look forward to the new releases coming soon!
The UK’s Eight Definitive Coins
There are eight different coin denominations to be found in our everyday change (1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1, £2).
Their story began in 1971, when Britain’s coinage went decimal – a plan which had been in the making for over 10 years!
Originally, only the 1p-50p coins were released and each featured the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Arnold Machin on the obverse. Their reverse designs had been created by Christopher Ironside, for which he won an OBE.
Credit: The Royal Mint
Whilst the Queen’s portrait has changed on these coins throughout the years (Raphael Maklouf in 1985, Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS in 1998 with the introduction of the definitive £2 coin and Jody Clark in 2015), it wasn’t until 2008 that the reverse designs all changed and the first definitive £1 was introduced.
The Royal Shield on Coins
In 2008, the new definitive coins were released.
Competition winner, Matthew Dent had created a clever design utilising each of the denominations from 1p-50p and bringing them together like a jigsaw to form the Royal Shield – shown in its entirety on the definitive £1 coin.
At this time, the definitive £2 remained unchanged with the Technology design, first introduced in 1998.
Britannia £2
The very last change we’ve seen to our definitive coins came in 2015, when the £2 reverse design was updated to the iconic Britannia design by Anthony Dufort.
Not only this, but the obverse design for all denominations was also updated in 2015 as the last effigy of Queen Elizabeth II by Jody Clark graced our UK coinage.
What’s next for UK Definitive Coins?
Usually, definitive coins are issued each year as part of the Annual Coin Set and then released into circulation based on demand.
However, following the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the introduction of King Charles III’s new coinage portrait, this year has been an exception…
Whilst a 2023 Annual Coin Set was released, this only featured 5 commemorative designs and no definitive coins.
Throughout the year, many collectors have asked us when the King Charles III definitive coins will be released and what the designs will be.
Excitingly, it seems that the wait is almost over, as The Royal Mint announced on the 5th October 2023 that we can expect to see new definitive coin designs featuring King Charles III on the obverse very soon…
This will be the first time that both the ‘heads’ and ‘tails’ sides of coins have changed at the same time, and of course, the first time the King will feature on a UK 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p and £1 coin!
As perhaps the biggest change we’ve seen to UK coinage in decades, we’re expecting a huge collecting rush for the New UK Coinage for King Charles III and can’t wait to see the new coins when they’re released.
Keep an eye on our social media and website as we’ll be updating you as soon as we have more information on when these exciting new coins.
What do you think the designs will look like? Let us know in the comments below!
Step into Narnia and discover The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe 50p
Cast your mind back to childhood, a time of bedtime stories and wild imaginations…
A story that most of us vividly remember is The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the inspiration behind the latest UK 50p.
An introduction to children’s fantasy literature
First published in 1950, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was the first novel in The Chronicles of Narnia collection, and is perhaps the best known book by author C. S. Lewis. For many, it was an introduction to the fantasy literature genre, with characters such as Mr Tumnus and Aslan holding a special place in our memories.
Credit: Pixabay, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
A magical design
It’s actually Mr Tumnus who features on this brand new UK 50p, alongside Lucy Pevensie who can be seen walking arm in arm through a snowy Narnia together.
Pauline Baynes’ design, which is based on illustrations from the original publication, is the perfect tribute to this classic tale of fantasy fiction. If you have fond memories of the story, or if you just can’t resist newly issued UK coins, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe 50p would make an excellent addition to collection.
Secure yours here for just £5.99 (+p&p) >>
Previous UK coins based on literature
Beatrix Potter 50ps
The Beatrix Potter 50ps are perhaps some of the most popular 50p coins amongst collectors. For many collectors, these are the coins that inspired them to start the hobby, especially younger collectors.
The Beatrix Potter 50p series started in 2016 with the Beatrix Potter 50p, issued to mark 150 years since the birth of the legendary author. The series continued over the next 4 years, with 50ps featuring beloved characters from the famous tales, such as Mrs Tiggy-Winkle, Mr Jeremy Fisher and Flopsy Bunny. And of course, Peter Rabbit himself made an appearance in the series, not once, but four times!
Winnie the Pooh 50ps
Another literary favourite, Winnie the Pooh, featured on a series of 50p coins issued between 2020 and 2022. Characters from the Hundred Acre Wood such as Tigger, Piglet and Eeyore joined Winnie the Pooh himself in this 9 coin series, which proved incredibly popular with both new and seasoned collectors.
All silver proof versions of the 2020 Winnie the Pooh 50p sold out in less than 12 hours, and the 2022 Eeyore 50p sold out in a matter of hours at The Royal Mint.
And the list goes on, as literary characters such as the Gruffalo, the Snowman, Paddington Bear and even authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien, Jane Austen and Charles Dickens have also featured on our UK coins – amongst some of the favourite releases for many collectors.
Don’t miss out!
So, when you consider the popularity of other UK coins that have been based on children’s literature, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe 50p is set to be highly sought after.
