Rare 50p sells for £160 after sparking bidding war

A rare 50p coin recently sold for more than 320 times its original value after sparking a bidding war online.

Many coins can be worth above their face value to collectors. And this one in particular can sell for around £140 – so the seller can count themselves lucky, reports the Echo.

Released in 2009, the Kew Gardens 50p has become one of the most hotly sought after coins to enthusiasts. It was minted to mark 250 years of the London attraction.

The coin itself features the famous Chinese Pagoda at the Royal Botanic Gardens. On the tails side it features the traditional Queen’s face.

According to its original eBay listing, the “Rare 2009 Kew Gardens 50p Coin In good Circulated Condition Found In Garden” had a starting price of £1, but after a 26-way bidding war this quickly jumped up to a final sale price of £160.21. The buyer also had to pay £4.79 for postage and packaging.

There are thought to be around 210,000 of the Kew Gardens 50ps in circulation. If you happen to find one in your change, the first thing to do is check the date it was minted.

This is because the Royal Mint reissued the coin in 2019 to mark 50 years of the 50p. These editions don’t seem to sell as much as the original run.

That said, these ones have been known to sell for around £70 or £80 on eBay so you could still be in for an exciting payday.