MAKE A MINT
Exact detail you need to spot on rare 50p coin that makes it worth up to £85
Plus, we reveal how to sell a rare coin if you find one
A NEW King Charles III coin has been valued at up to £85 - we reveal the exact detail you need to spot to get your hands on one.
The rare coins market has been shaken up after it took the top spot as the rarest 50p coin in UK circulation.
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After The Sun exclusively revealed in October that the Atlantic Salmon had dethroned the Kew Gardens design as hardest to find in the UK, it was estimated to have tripled in value.
But how much exactly it would be valued at was uncertain - until now.
It comes as Change Checker unveiled its new eBay Tracker, which takes the last nine sold prices on eBay and gives the median price achieved.
It valued the coin at a whopping £85, meaning the coin is worth almost six times more than its original value according to the website.
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Change Checker said: "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!"
Those wishing to get their hands on the valuable coin should look out for the unique engraving of a salmon jumping out of water.
The Royal Mint confirmed that 200,000 Atlantic Salmon coins were distributed to banks and post offices late last year, as part of a commemorative series marking the ascension of King Charles III.
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This figure beats the 210,000 Kew Gardens coins minted 15 years ago making the Atlantic Salmon officially the rarest 50p in circulation.
According to the eBay tracker, the Kew Gardens coin is still valued as the most expensive 50p coin at £145 - but demand for the Atlantic Salmon is on the rise at a much quicker rate.
Watch coin expert reveal the two rarest 50ps worth up to £195 face value- and key details to look for in change
Since June the Salmon coin has increased by almost £70, while the Kew Gardens coin is actually decreasing in value - down £3 since June.
Other valuable coins are also falling in value such as the rarest Olympic 50p and the Commonwealth £2.
Royal Mint also revealed that just one in 335 people in the UK have a likelihood of fishing the coin from their change.
Since the announcement, sales online have skyrocketed as eager collectors rush to secure the coin before prices spiral even higher.
On October 7 one coin sold for £164 with six bidders fighting for the prize.
Another sold for £147 on December 16 with a whopping 37 bids.
Change Checker's eBay Tracker for December 2024
The coins which have increased in value since June 2024:
- Rarest 50p (2023 Salmon) - £83.60 - up £69.10
- 2018 Peter Rabbit 50p - £6.70 - up £1.60
- 2019 World Wide Web 10p - £6 - up £1.50
- Undated 20p - £64 - up £14
- 92/93 EEC 50p - £37.50 - up 55p
The coins which have decreased in value since June 2024:
- Rarest Olympic 50p (Football) - £14.50 - down £2.39
- Rarest £2 (NI Commonwealth Games) - £31.55 - down £1.45
- Kew Gardens 50p - £142 - down £3
And one listing currently sits as high as £500 - though there's no guarantee people will actually dish out this much for it.
Remember that a coin is only worth as much as someone is willing to buy it for.
If you're ever unsure of how much a coin should be sold for, it helps to look at what prices other people are listing.
You can also run it through Change Checker's Scarcity Index to get a sense of its value.
Rare coins, especially those with low mintages, can fetch hundreds and even thousands of pounds.
Error coins, produced with manufacturing mistakes, are also highly sought after by collectors.
Some have been known to sell for as much as £1,500 to £2,500.
How to sell a rare coin
If you're looking to sell a rare coin, you can either do this through Facebook, eBay or in an auction.
You should keep in mind that there are some risks attached when using social media platforms like Facebook.
Some people have been victims to scammers who ask you to pay the money upfront to fund a courier - which never turns up.
It's always better to meet in person when trading valuable items to make sure this doesn't happen.
Avoid using payment links and make sure you're meeting in a public and safe spot.
The safest option is to sell at an auction, which you can organise through the Royal Mint Collector's Service.
Its team of experts can help authenticate and value your coin and advise you on how to sell.
However, this service does come with a fee - so some prefer doing it themselves on eBay.
When using eBay, keep in mind that it's only worth what people are willing to buy it for.
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You can look at what other people are selling the coin for to get a sense of what price you should list it as.
For example, if you have a salmon coin in good condition and other people are selling it for more than £85 - then it's probably worth hedging your bets too.
How to spot valuable items
COMMENTS by Consumer Editor, Alice Grahns:
It’s easy to check if items in your attic are valuable.
As a first step, go on eBay to check what other similar pieces, if not the same, have sold for recently.
Simply search for your item, filter by “sold listings” and toggle by the highest value.
This will give you an idea of how much others are willing to pay for it.
The method can be used for everything ranging from rare coins and notes to stamps, old toys, books and vinyl records - just to mention a few examples.
For coins, online tools from change experts like Coin Hunter are also helpful to see how much it could be worth.
Plus, you can refer to Change Checker’s latest scarcity index update to see which coins are topping the charts.
For especially valuable items, you may want to enlist the help of experts or auction houses.
Do your research first though and be aware of any fees for evaluating your stuff.
As a rule of thumb, rarity and condition are key factors in determining the value of any item.
You’re never guaranteed to make a mint, however.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
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