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The coin is one of 210,000 issued in 2009 to mark the 250th anniversary of Kew Gardens in Richmond, south east London.
It displays the Chinese Pagoda tower from its iconic botanical gardens, which claims to be the most biodiverse place on Earth with more than 30,000 plant species.
One keen collector paid the hefty £245.08 buy-it-now listing price plus £3.42 postage to snap up the 50p piece on Thursday.
That means the coin was sold for 495 times its shop value and will be sure to have Brits checking their change.
This is an uncirculated coin and the listing images show how it comes with a souvenir ‘pack’ explaining its design and coin specifications.
The gatefold pack explains designer Christopher Lee Brun chose to depict the Chinese Pagoda himself.
It was erected by Sir William Chambers in 1762 and, at nearly 50 metres, was then the tallest reconstruction of a Chinese building in Europe.
The 2009 coin was reissued in 2019 but a newer image of Queen Elizabeth II was used, making it easy to tell them apart.
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.
Top 10 most valuable 50p coins, according to Royal Mint
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
