Posts Tagged ‘50p’
The coin with three dates – The Brexit 50p
Following a referendum in 2016, the United Kingdom officially withdrew from the European Union on 31st January 2020. This departure was one of the most significant events to happen in modern history, and Brexit 50p coin was issued to commemorate it.
The withdrawal faced several delays and deferrals, leading to the Brexit 50p – also referred to as the UK Withdrawal from the EU 50p – being produced with THREE different dates and TWO different obverses!
Read on to find out more…
29th March 2019 Brexit 50p
In 2018, it was announced that a UK Brexit 50p would be issued to mark the withdrawal, and the Treasury posted the design on X (then Twitter). The revealed that the coin would feature the words ‘Peace, prosperity and friendship with all nations’ and the date ’29 March 2019′ – the original intended date of withdrawal.
Reportedly, 1,000 Brexit 50ps with the date 29th March 2019 were struck. However, following the deferral of Brexit until October 2019, 990 of these coins were melted down, leaving 10 remaining that are kept under lock and key at The Royal Mint, so it’s impossible to find one in your change.
31st October 2019 Brexit 50p
As the government worked towards the withdrawal on 31st October 2019, the Brexit 50p design was revised to feature the new date. The Royal Mint got to work on striking over a million coins featuring the inscription ’31 October 2019′.
Image credit: Lee Holt, Change Range
On 28th October 2019, the day before Brexit was due to go ahead, it was announced that it would be delayed yet again until 31st January 2020. Therefore, the majority of Brexit 50ps that has been struck featuring the date ’31 October 2019′ had to be melted. These coins were never distributed for circulation by The Royal Mint, however two have been found in circulation.
Lucky collector, Lee Holt, was the first to find a Brexit 50p with the date ’31 October 2019′ (pictured above), and a second was found in 2024 by an anonymous collector.
Two different obverses
What makes this even more interesting is that the two Brexit 50ps with the date ’31 October 2019′ that have been found feature two different obverses!
The obverse on Lee’s coin features Jody Clark’s portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, the year 2019 and the denomination ’50 PENCE’.
Image credit: Lee Holt, Change Range
However, the obverse of the other 31 October 2019 Brexit 50p found (pictured below) is missing the denomination.
Image credit: Lee Holt, Change Range
It’s likely that this coin was struck using the obverse die intended for the 2019 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 50p, as the denomination features on the reverse of that coin. Coins must state both the date and denomination on either the obverse or reverse, so reverse designs that feature the denomination do not need to include the denomination on the obverse.
Worth a small fortune
A numismatic specialist at Spink and Son auction house, Gregory Edmund, described the discovery of the two October 2019 dated Brexit 50ps as a ‘Willy Wonka’s Golden Ticket moment’ and said it was ‘truly electrifying for business’. Gregory said that if the coins were to go up for auction, he would expect them to fetch more than the current Spink & Son record for a circulating coin, which was when a gold 1965 halfpenny with an error sold for £42,000 in 2023.
I’m sure those collectors who have discovered this incredibly rare coin aren’t willing to sell them any time soon, but with an estimated value of more than £42,000 – it’s definitely tempting!
31st January 2020 Brexit 50p
Due to another deferral, The Royal Mint had to once again revise the design of the Brexit 50p to feature the new date ’31 January 2020′.
It was this version of the coin that was finally produced in line with Brexit taking place on 31st January 2020, and 10,001,000 of them entered circulation.
So how rare is the Brexit 50p?
Our latest 50p mintage figure chart shows that the Brexit 50p/UK Withdrawal from the EU 50p with the correct date ’31 January 2020′ ranks a fair way down the list, meaning it’s not particularly rare.
The 2020 Brexit 50p also ranks as ‘common’ on our Scarcity Index, which combines a coin’s mintage figure with with how many collectors have listed the coin as being in their collection on the Change Checker App, and the number of times the coin has been requested as a swap on our Swap Centre.
Check out our latest Scarcity Index >>
Find out more about your coins
If you’re interested in coin collecting, our Change Checker web app is completely free to use!
Ring in the New Year with the 2025 Annual Coin Set!
Every year, the Annual Coin Set is one of the most eagerly anticipated releases, as it’s the first chance collectors have to secure some of the key coins from the year ahead. The 2025 Annual Set includes five brand new 2025 coins, celebrating the very best of British culture, iconic figures, institutions and events that have shaped the nation’s history.
So, let’s take a closer look at the coins in the 2025 Annual Coin Set…
A closer look at the 2025 Annual Coin Set
Red Arrows 50p
Speed. Agility. Precision…these are the hallmarks of the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team—better known as the Red Arrows. And to mark 60 years since their first display in 1965, the Red Arrows are being celebrated on a UK 50p.
The iconic team has wowed audiences worldwide with their breath taking displays across 57 countries with nearly 5,000 shows, making them a global symbol of excellence. Now, their legacy is celebrated with this special UK 50p coin, featuring three sleek and distinctive Hawk T1 aircraft and their smoke trails.
This is the first time the Red Arrows have featured on a UK coin, and the design perfectly represents their inspiring and captivating displays which are loved by so many.
Stories of The Second World War 50p
The Second World War was a time when extraordinary courage and relentless effort came from all corners of the UK and the Commonwealth, forever shaping modern British society.
From the battlefields to the home front, everyone played a role in the war effort—each story, a testament to resilience and unity.
The Stories of the Second World War 50p honours their service, depicting the medals awarded to millions who contributed to the cause. The medals featured include the 1939-45 Star, Defence Medal and War Medal, representing the countless unique experiences of the Second World War.
Steam Passenger Train £2
On to the £2 coins, the first of which commemorates 200 years since the very first steam passenger train journey. On September 27, 1825, George Stephenson’s Locomotion No. 1 made history by carrying hundreds of passengers across 26 miles—from Shildon to Stockton—launching a journey that would shape the modern world.
Since Locomotion 1’s inaugural journey, rail travel has undergone huge technological and engineering advancements, transforming every aspect of life including tourism, trade, post and even football.
This £2 coin commemorates that ground breaking moment in 1825, with a design featuring Locomotion Number 1 in action, packed with excited passengers and the inscription ‘The Journey that changed the world’, along with the years 1825-2025.
Royal Greenwich Observatory £2
The second £2 coin in the Annual Set celebrates 350 years of the UK’s first purpose build scientific institution – the Royal Greenwich Observatory.
The observatory was commissioned in 1674 by Charles II and was intended as a beacon for timekeeping and sea navigation. It’s home to the historic Prime Meridian of the World, which divides the eastern and western hemispheres and gave its name to Greenwich Mean Time, the precursor to today’s Coordinated Universal Time.
The design on this £2 coin captures the Observatory’s rich legacy, featuring the Shepherd Gate Clock, the constellation Ursa Minor, the star Polaris and the meridian line in front of a globe. The coin also includes the edge inscription ‘PERFECTING THE ART OF NAVIGATION’, taken from the Observatory’s founding Royal Warrant.
Birth of the Queen Mother £5
The last coin we need to talk about will actually only be available as part of the 2025 Annual Coin Set, as it won’t be individually released, and that’s the Birth of the Queen Mother £5.
Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother was a symbol of national strength and resilience, especially during the trials of the Second World War, and across a remarkable life spanning more than a century, she steadfastly supported two British monarchs—her husband, King George VI, and her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II.
This exclusive £5 coin marks 125 years since the birth of Queen Elizabeth, with a design featuring a timeless portrait that celebrates her enduring legacy, along with her royal cypher, thistles and roses. And interestingly, the portrait has been taken from the design on the 1980 coin that marked her 80th birthday.
Last year, there was also one coin from the Annual Set that wasn’t individually issued, the Winston Churchill £2, however collectors didn’t know this right away, so we want to make sure you don’t miss this exclusive chance to own this coin by securing the 2025 Annual Coin Set.
So there you have the 2025 Annual Coin Set, a collection of five incredible coins from the year to come.
And whilst 4 of these coins will be individually released later in the year, the only way to get the Queen Mother £5 is by securing the 2025 Annual Set.
Secure the 2025 Annual Coin Set
Each coin has been struck to a superior Brilliant Uncirculated quality and is protectively encapsulated in official Change Checker packaging, housed in a display page ready to slot into your Change Checker Album.
To ensure you don’t miss out on adding all FIVE new coins to your collection for JUST £42 (+postage), click here >>
The Salmon 50p makes waves in our December 2024 eBay Tracker update!
So you’ve found a rare coin or banknote in your change and are wondering ‘how much could it be worth?’ It’s difficult to determine a coin’s value as the secondary market can be a bit of a minefield, so we’ve done the hard work for you with our eBay Tracker!
Our eBay Tracker is an easy way for you to see how much the top 10 UK coins and banknotes are selling for right now, and with a new rarest 50p in circulation – it’s worth keeping an eye on!
You might notice that your favourite coin or banknote that we’ve tracked in the past is missing, but you can always check out our previous eBay Tracker updates to see how their value has changed over time.
eBay Tracker
Since our last update, there’s been one major change to the collecting world – the announcement that we now have a NEW rarest UK 50p! It was revealed in October 2024 that the 2023 Salmon 50p had a circulating mintage of just 200,000, meaning it knocks the 2009 Kew Gardens 50p off the top spot!
2023 Salmon 50p
An estimated 500,000 Salmon 50ps entered circulation in November 2023, however, collectors were finding them hard to come by. Later, in October 2024, it was announced that the official mintage figure was just 200,000 – 10,000 less than the Kew Gardens 50p! This meant that for the first time in 15 years, we had a new rarest UK 50p!
We added the Salmon 50p to our eBay Tracker back in June 2024 as it was one of the newest coins to enter circulation. Back then you could get your hands on one on the secondary market for under £15, however now that we know just how rare it is, it’s selling for around £85 – that’s a 477% increase on average!
Kew Gardens 50p
Now the second rarest 50p in circulation, the Kew Gardens 50p can still fetch hefty amounts on the secondary market. Don’t forget, it’s had 15 years to stake its claim as the pinnacle of collecting, so even though it’s no longer the rarest in terms of mintage, the Kew Gardens 50p is still incredibly sought after.
The average secondary market value for a Kew Gardens 50p has decreased by £3 since our last update, but you’d still be looking to pay nearly £150 for one – that’s 300 times its face value!
Undated 20p
The undated 20p is often thought of as the ‘holy grail of change collecting’, as it’s not been confirmed just how many of these error coins made it into circulation. As one of the most sought-after coins, it’s at the top of many collectors’ wish lists, and some are willing to pay up to £64 to get their hands on one.
That’s a 28% increase since our last eBay Tracker update in June 2024, so it’s definitely worth checking your 20ps!
W (World Wide Web) 10p
The A-Z of Great Britain 10p series was first issued in 2018, with a 10p representing something quintessentially British for each letter of the alphabet. A second wave of these 10ps was issued in 2019, and out of all of them, the 2019 W for World Wide Web 10p has the lowest mintage figure of just 63,000!
According to our eBay Tracker, you can expect to pay around £6 for a W 10p on the secondary market, which is a 33% increase since our last update. Not a bad return on a 10p coin!
The first ever King Charles III Banknotes
The first ever King Charles III banknotes entered circulation on 5th June 2024, and as they’ll only be issued to replace worn or damaged Queen Elizabeth II going forward, they’ve inevitably become extremely sought after by collectors.
Whilst the median selling price for a King Charles III £10 banknote has remained essentially the same since our last eBay Tracker update, a King Charles III £5 will cost you 61% less than 6 months ago. If you’re missing a King Charles III £5 note from your collection, now might be a good time to get one on the secondary market for under £10.
Valuation Index
Using the total price of the coins and banknotes tracked, the Valuation Index follows the rise and fall of their overall value, measured in points against the baseline set in January 2017.
Since the last update in June 2024, there’s been an 18% overall increase in the value of the Top 10 coins and banknotes on the eBay Tracker. But bear in mind that the coins and banknotes tracked were updated in June 2024, as represented by the vertical dotted line on the graph.
eBay Tracker FAQs
How does the eBay Tracker work?
The Change Checker eBay Tracker takes the last 9 sold prices on eBay and gives the median price achieved. By taking the median, rather than an average, we avoid skewing figures with excessively high or low prices.
Please note that the Change Checker eBay Tracker is only ever designed to be a guide as to prices achieved on eBay. Prices may vary depending on collector demand and the quality of the coin being sold. It does not provide any guarantee as to future values of coins.
My coin isn’t on the eBay Tracker
The eBay Tracker follows the movements of the top UK coins and banknotes, however if your coin doesn’t appear on the tracker you can use our 6 point guide to help determine the realistic value for your coin.
Find out more about your coins
If you’re interested in coin collecting, our Change Checker web app is completely free to use!
