Royal Mint to release Winnie the Pooh 50p – and it could be worth up to £500
COIN collectors are keeping their eyes peeled following confirmation that the Royal Mint is launching a Winnie the Pooh 50p.
The popular teddy bear has featured on 50p shaped "coins" in the past, but this will be the first time he's graced a coin made by the Royal Mint.
Winnie the Pooh will be the first coin to be released in a three-piece set, also featuring Christopher Robin and Piglet 50p coins.
The coins will be released to mark the 100th birthday of the character, created by A.A. Milne.
Designs are currently being kept under wraps, but coin expert Colin Bellamy of the reckons the Winnie the Pooh version will feature the popular character without his short red jumper with one hand in a jar of honey and bees buzzing overhead.
But while the coin maker has confirmed it's launching the coins, Royal Mint said they won't enter circulation.
Sadly, this means you won't be able to find the coins in your spare change.
It's also not yet clear when the coins will launch or how much they'll cost. But the Royal Mint told The Sun fans can register their interest on .
Mr Bellamy reckons the 50p Winnie the Pooh coin is likely to fetch just £4.50 if sold on eBay as that's the price they're expected to be sold for without official packaging on coin website Westminster Collection.
What are the different types of coin?
THESE are the coins you can see from the Royal Mint:
- Circulated - these are the coins you'll see in your shop change.
- Brilliant uncirculated - these coins are a higher standard than circulating and bullion coins. The machines used to strike these coins are polished and finished by hand.
- Proof - these are the highest quality coins produced by the Royal Mint. Machines used to make these are all hand-finished.
- Bullion - these coins are made from gold and silver and are usually used as an investment that aims to retain a certain value over time.
Royal Mint is expected to sell brilliant uncirculated versions of the coins for a pricier £10 each based on previous launches.
Mr Bellamy told The Sun that if the 50p coin was to enter circulation, it could've become the second most valuable 50p after the Kew Gardens coin.
Last month, a rare Kew Gardens 50p coin sold on eBay for £230 - 460 times its face value.
Kew Gardens coins were originally released in 2009 to celebrate 250 years of the Royal Botanical Gardens.
The coin features one of the garden buildings at the UNESCO World Heritage Site; the Chinese Pagoda built in 1761.
However, last year an uncirculated 50p coin featuring Sherlock Holmes sold for £500 on eBay, meaning the Winnie the Pooh coins may sell for more too.
Meanwhile, commemorative Brexit 50p coins sold in February for more than 20 times their original value on eBay.
Coin hunters have also snapped up non-official Winnie the Pooh "coins" from the Koin Club featuring the character and Tigger for up to £11.99 on .
The Koin Club manufactures branded coins under license, but they're not legal tender.
Is your small change worth a fortune?
IF you think that you might have a rare coin then you might be able to make a real mint.
The most valuable coins are usually those with a low mintage or an error.
These are often deemed the most valuable by collectors.
You should check how much the coin is selling for on eBay.
Search the full name of the coin, select the "sold" listing and then toggle the search to "highest value".
It will give you an idea of the amount of money that the coin is going for.
You can either choose to sell the coin on eBay or through a specialist like ChangeChecker.org.
If you choose the auction website then remember to set a minimum price that is higher or at the very least equal to the face value of the coin.
Even if your coin “sells” on eBay for a high price there’s no guarantee that the buyer will cough up.
It its terms and conditions, the auction website states that bidders enter a “legally binding contract to purchase an item”, but there’s no way to enforce this rule in reality.
The most eBay can do is add a note to their account for the unpaid item or remove their ability to bid and buy.
Alexandra Siddons of coin expert Change Checker told The Sun the series is "sure to be incredibly popular" among collectors, following in the footsteps of other popular character themed 50ps, such as the Beatrix Potter coins and the Gruffalo 50ps.
She added: "If the popularity of these series is anything to go by, we expect the Winnie the Pooh 50ps to be in high demand with collectors."
If you think you've got a valuable coin in your change and are looking to sell it, you should get it verified by the manufacturer first.
You can then either get it valued by a dealer or check how much they're selling for on eBay by searching through sold listings.
Of course, keep in mind that a coin is only worth what someone else is willing to pay for it.
Circulated coins are the ones you see'll see in your shop change and can be used to pay for things.
While commemorative coins are designed as collectables to mark events in UK history, and although they're approved as legal tender, it's unlikely banks or retailers will accept them.
A spokesperson for The Royal Mint said: “Bee-ginning with a Winnie the Pooh 50p coin, we are introducing a series of designs inspired by the classic stories of A.A. Milne.
"The series will celebrate Winnie the Pooh and friends as they appear for the first time on a UK 50p coin.
";We will announce more details in due course."
Last September, Coin Hunter and Change Checker both said the Royal Mint was preparing to launch a second Gruffalo 50p.
The coin maker didn't confirm it at the time, but a month later released the coin.
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The first commemorative Gruffalo 50p coin featuring the popular children's book character launched last February.
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The Gruffalo isn't the only children's book character to entertain coin collectors though, as two new Paddington Bear coins went into circulation last year.
They joined two others already featuring the bear from darkest Peru.