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The Atlantic Salmon 50p coin sold for an eye-watering £83 on eBay.
The coin was minted as part of eight new designs following His Majesty King Charles III’s accession to the throne.
With a circulating mintage of just 200,000, the coin knocked the Kew Gardens 50p off the top spot, becoming the rarest 50p in circulation.
The Atlantic Salmon was chosen as one of eight designs representing flora and fauna from across all four UK nations.
Although wild populations of the Atlantic salmon are affected by factors such as river pollution, habitat loss, overfishing, and climate change, this wild fish can be found in very clean rivers in Scotland and Wales, as well as in North and South West England.
The listing reads: “2023 Atlantic Salmon 50p no privy mark rare circulating UK coin in good condition.”
After 20 bids, one keen collector snapped up the coin for £83.00 plus £2.72 postage. That means it sold for 166 times its shop value and will be sure to have Brits checking their change.
Royal Mint reveals new 50p coin
A new 50p coin celebrating the speed and elegance of Concorde has been launched by the Royal Mint, marking 50 years since the aircraft’s first commercial flight.
The coin was made in partnership with British Airways and Airbus, and its reverse or “tails” side portrays the aircraft in flight, against a backdrop of a split-flap departure board, with the word Concorde appearing across the centre.
Rebecca Morgan, director of commemorative coin at the Royal Mint, said: “Concorde represents the very best of British innovation.
“The design perfectly captures Concorde’s grace and power and we’re thrilled to mark this significant anniversary with a coin that honours both the aircraft and the engineers whose genius made supersonic travel a reality.
“It’s a particularly fitting tribute, reflecting the role Concorde engineers played in designing the shape of the UK’s 50p.”
Five Incredibly Rare and Valuable British Coins
What makes a coin valuable?
The 50 pence piece has become the most valued and collected coin in the UK, with many collectable designs appearing on its heptagonal canvas.
Its 27.5mm diameter makes it the largest of any British coin, and allows space for decorative pictures. It has often been used to celebrate big events over the past 50 years of British history.
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The rarest coins tend to be of the greatest value, with the mintage (number of coins with each design made) being the fundamental attraction for collectors.
Along with the design, other aspects of the coin which increase value are the condition of the coin and whether it has an error in its design.
The way in which it is sold can also determine the coin’s value – while some coin collectors will bid vast amounts of money on eBay or at auction, others opt for more robust valuations by selling via a coin dealer.
Royal Mint top 10 most valuable 50p coins
Here is a list of the top 10 most valuable coins, when they were made and how many were minted:
- Atlantic Salmon (2023), 200,000
- Kew Gardens (2009), 210,000
- Olympic Wrestling (2011), 1,129,500
- Olympic Football (2011), 1,161,500
- Olympic Judo (2011), 1,161,500
- Olympic Triathlon (2011), 1,163,500
- Peter Rabbit (2018), 1,400,000
- Flopsy Bunny (2018), 1,400,000
- Olympic Tennis (2011), 1,454,000
- Olympic Goalball (2011), 1,615,500
