A 50p coin has sold for a huge 246 times its original value on eBay after a bidding war got underway earlier this month. Certain coins tend to excite collectors, with some worth considerably more than others.
Struck by the Royal Mint in 2009 to celebrate Kew Gardens’ 250th anniversary since its establishment in 1759, the coin is one of the rarest around, with just around 210,000 in circulation. The piece featured the famed Chinese Pagoda of Kew on one side and a portrait of the late Queen Elizabeth II on the reverse.
Described on the online selling platform as “Rare Genuine 2009 Kew Gardens 50 pence Coin in Good Condition”, the initial asking price was set at 99p. But after a 17-way bidding war, the price jumped up and up to a final sale price of £123.07. The seller also had to pay £2.94 for tracked delivery.
(Image: Getty)
Coin experts estimate there are still plenty of these money-pieces out there, so it could be well worth checking any loose change, purses or wallets. That said, if you do find a Kew Gardens 50p, the first thing you should do is to check the date on it.
This is because another batch of the coins was issued in 2019 – to commemorate fifty years of the 50p – and these coins usually go for a lower price. However they have been known to fetch around £70 or £80 on eBay, so it could still be well worth listing them online.