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Rare Samuel Johnson 50p coin on eBay for £3,500 – but just how much are they really worth?
The piece was released in 2005 to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the English Dictionary's release
CHEEKY eBay sellers have listed a special type of 50p coin for up to £3,500 - but are they really worth as much as it seems?
Dozens of Ebay users are casting their eyes on the "rare" Samuel Johnson coins by the hour.
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Seller sally_w55 put the Johnson's Dictionary coin up for £3,500, describing it as "very rare".
Another seller has also put the same piece up for sale, at an equally astonishing £3,300.
Describing the coin, user ckyp2009 wrote: "Circulating commemorative 50p coin. Only a limited number produced."
But experts have noted the coin is not as rare as the sellers have claimed.
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Change Checker explains the coin has a "common" rating on its scarcity index, even though it was minted 15 years ago.
In fact, the coin usually sells for a
The "Saxon plural of penny" piece was released in 2005 to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Samuel Johnson's Dictionary of the English Language, released in 1755.
The front side of the coin features the figure "50'" and the words 'JOHNSON'S DICTIONARY 1755' below.
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While there are dozens of "common" coins, falsely described as rare, there are many of valuable pieces in circulation.
The Jemima Puddle-Duck coin was released in 2016, to mark the 150th anniversary of author Beatrix Potter's birth.
There are only 2.1million of these coins in circulation and an uncirculated version of the coin recently sold for as much as £135 on eBay.
Top 5 rarest coins and how much they are worth
THE value of a coin varies depending on how sought after it is by collectors.
Rare coins - those with low mintage numbers - are often the most valuable but that's not always the case. We take a look at the top 10 rarest coins (according to Change Checker) and see how much they are selling for on eBay at the moment.
- Kew Gardens - £216
- Football - £22
- Triathlon - £14.50
- Wrestling - £14
- Judo - £12.50
For more on rare coins read our guide.
Rare Peter Rabbit Beatrix Potter 50p coin sells for £840 on eBay – do you have one in your spare change?
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