Posts Tagged ‘scarce coins’
November 19 Scarcity Index update!
We’ve been eagerly awaiting this latest Scarcity Index update, which includes the newly released figures for the 2018 50p coins!
Find out how this has affected the Index and discover how sought-after the coins in your collection really are…
This information has been compiled using data from the Change Checker Swap Centre (find out how it works here) 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.
You’ll notice stars have been included on the 50p Index and these show where the new 2018 coins have now been included.
50p Scarcity Index
The coin collecting community received some exciting news in October when the mintage figures were revealed for the 2018 50p coins, and this new data means that these coins can now be included on the Index.
And their introduction to the 50p Scarcity Index certainly has caused quite a stir!
With such low mintage figures (just 1,400,000 of each coin) the 2018 Peter Rabbit and Flopsy Bunny 50ps were bound to be scarce, but it’s remarkable to see just how high up the Scarcity Index they have actually placed.
In fact, these coins are now the second and third most sought-after 50ps in circulation (excluding the Olympic 50ps).
Mrs Tittlemouse has also infiltrated the Olympic 50ps, which currently dominate the first half of the index.
The other four 50p coins to enter circulation in 2018 are more common and therefore have found their way onto the second half of the Index.
However their addition has pushed the majority of the lower scoring coins down the chart and has had a significant impact on the Roger Bannister 50p, which has moved down the Index by 16 places.
Of course the top scorer is still that Kew Gardens 50p, which is considered by many to be the holy grail of change collecting, with a mintage of just 210,000!
A-Z 10p Scarcity Index
As well as revealing the 2018 50p mintage figures, The Royal Mint also published the figures for the 2018 A-Z 10p coins and we now know that 220,000 of each design entered circulation last year.
We’ve taken these figures, combined with the 2.1 million coins released in 2019 (split evenly over the 26 designs) to update the A-Z 10p Index.
Once again there has been quite a bit of movement from the A-Z 10ps and excitingly B for Bond has now taken top spot.
This coin has been a firm favourite with collectors since the coins were released last year and it seems likely that anyone lucky enough to come across one will be keeping tight hold of it.
The biggest mover on the 10p Index is F for Fish and Chips which has moved up 15 places since last quarter.
This will certainly be one to watch out for on the next update.
£2 Scarcity Index
The £2 Index has remained fairly consistent since last quarter, which is to be expected as no new £2 coins have entered circulation since 2016.
Last quarter we saw the Rugby World Cup £2 drop by 10 places, however this has now moved back up 9 places to sit just below the middle of the pack. This could have potentially been influenced by the 2019 Rugby World Cup increasing interest in the coin.
Nearer the top of the Index, the Olympic Handover £2 has moved up 5 places into the top 5 scarcest £2 coins in circulation.
However it comes as no surprise that the scarcest UK £2 coin in circulation is still the Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland £2, with that tiny mintage figure of just 485,500.
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
Sign up today at: www.changechecker.org/app
UPDATED: The results of our latest Scarcity Index are in…
The latest Change Checker Scarcity Index update of 2018 is here and the results are in…
The 50p and £2 Scarcity Indexes have been compiled using data from the second quarter of the year.
As per our previous quarter, you can now use our new feature to help you track the performance of your coins. The arrows signify how many places, up or down, a coin has moved on the Scarcity Index; any coins with a yellow star are making their first appearance after having been released into circulation.
50p Scarcity Index
Not surprisingly, Kew Gardens still remains the most scarce UK 50p coin with a mintage figure of just 210,000. There has been a lot of movement this quarter, with significant improvements in the performance of Sir Isaac Newton, Rowing and Canoeing.
On the other hand, both Girl Guides and Tom Kitten have seen less interest, with both coins moving 9 points down the Index.
Our top and bottom 6 coins seem to remain consistent for now, although there is always the potential for change as new coins enter circulation, and we’ve had a number of new releases recently that could mix things in up…
£2 Scarcity Index
Although the 2017 WW1 Aviation and Jane Austen £2 coins are yet to enter circulation, we’ve still seen some movement amongst the current coins in our Scarcity Index.
The ever popular Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland £2 regains its place at the top after a briefly being replaced by Wales. Another strong improvement goes to Trinity House, which has also moved up the Index 4 places.
On the other end of the spectrum, the Rugby World Cup and Florence Nightingale coins have moved down the Index this quarter, with Florence Nightingale dropping an impressive 8 places. This is due in part to a lack of Change Checkers requesting to swap these coins, however we wouldn’t be surprised to see these coins creeping up the Index in the next quarter.
What about the A to Z 10p coins?
Unfortunately, at present, there is simply not enough data to accurately compile a full A to Z 10p Scarcity Index. However, we have put together a ‘Swap Index’ using data from the Change Checker App which we feel is the most accurate way currently to determine which A-Z 10ps are most sought after.
Our top two coins (A for Angel of the North and E for English Breakfast) are very clearly the most sought after, with L for Loch Ness Monster coming in third. Speculation as to why people might be collecting certain designs is three pronged: 1) Perhaps people are looking for A to start their collection at the beginning of the alphabet. 2) They could be looking for coins that match their initials. 3) People might be collecting the coins based on which design/theme is their favourite.
Initially, a limited stock of 2.6 million A-Z 10p coins were released into circulation through the Post Office network to coincide with the release of the designs in March. It has been no surprise that these have been quickly snapped up by eagle-eyed change collectors.
As more coins enter circulation and are found, we will begin to see more data emerge and a full Index for these coins will be compiled.
How the 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 recent 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 160 times face value on eBay.
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
Sign up today at: www.changechecker.org/app