Posts Tagged ‘rare coins’
The Coins That Nearly Didn’t Exist: The Unique Story Behind the Tutankhamun Treasures 50p Set
In 1922, the world was captivated by the discovery of Tutankhamun’s Tomb – a treasure trove of ancient Egyptian artefacts buried beneath the sands of time.
Over 100 years later, that moment has been honoured with a remarkable set of 50p coins – The Tutankhamun Treasures BU 50p Collection.
Approved by TWO monarchs and featuring THREE distinct dates, these coins carry a story as compelling as the artefacts they commemorate…
Watch our latest video below to discover the story behind the Tutankhamun Treasures BU 50p Set.
Approved by TWO monarchs
Originally approved by Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, the Tutankhamun Treasures 50p Coins were among the very last coins to receive her approval before her sad passing in September 2022.
But the change in monarchy put everything on pause. To proceed, the coins needed to be resubmitted to Buckingham Palace and King Charles III.
And in early 2023, the coins were officially reauthorised for release by King Charles III – now bearing His Majesty’s effigy by Glyn Davies, these were the FIRST 50p coins ever issued with this portrait.
Featuring THREE distinct dates
The unusual journey that these coins took to be released has created a truly rare collecting quirk – each coin features three different years!
- 1922 – Marking the discovery of Tutankhamun’s Tomb
- 2022 – When Queen Elizabeth II first approved the coins
- 2023 – When King Charles III re-authorised the coins for release
Triple-dated coins are exceptionally uncommon in numismatic history. In fact, the most comparable example was the Team GB 50p issued after the delayed 2020 Olympics – and that became one of the most sought-after coins of its year.
Time is running out…
We’re now down to our last remaining stocks of the Tutankhamun Treasures 50p Set, which means it won’t be long until these coins are lost to the sands of time…
Each coin in the collection has been struck to a Brilliant Uncirculated finish and features an ancient artefact that was discovered in Tutankhamun’s Tomb – including his iconic Death Mask, the Anubis Shrine, a Pendant, a Corselet and a model of the young pharaoh’s torso.
The Rare Brexit 50p: Have you got one?
If you’re reading this, you’re probably wondering, “Do I own this incredibly rare 50p?”. Well here’s some background information: After the historic 2016 referendum, the UK officially left the European Union on 31st January 2020. To mark this pivotal moment in modern British history, the Brexit 50p—also known as the UK Withdrawal from the EU 50p—was issued. However, due to multiple delays and deferrals, three distinct versions exist, making it one of the most fascinating modern coin releases.
The Three Brexit 50p Coins
The 29th March 2019 Brexit 50p
In 2018, it was announced that a commemorative 50p would be struck to mark the UK’s departure from the EU, originally scheduled for 29th March 2019. The coin’s design was revealed by the Treasury on social media, featuring the inscription “Peace, prosperity and friendship with all nations” alongside the planned withdrawal date.
However, after Brexit was postponed, only 1,000 coins with this date were minted. Of these, 990 were melted down, leaving just 10 surviving examples securely held by The Royal Mint. None of these coins were released into circulation, making them impossible to find in change.
Rare 50p – Worth Over £40,000!
As the UK’s departure was rescheduled for 31st October 2019, The Royal Mint struck over one million new Brexit 50ps featuring the revised date. Yet, history repeated itself, and on 28th October 2019, Brexit was delayed once more. As a result, the vast majority of these coins were melted down before they could enter circulation.
However, against all odds, two examples have surfaced in circulation, making them some of the rarest and most valuable 50ps ever discovered.
Given their extreme rarity, these coins are estimated to be worth over £40,000 each, according to numismatic specialists at Spink and Son auction house! Their discovery has been described as a “Golden Ticket moment”, emphasising their significance in the world of coin collecting. With only two known examples in existence, they could potentially break records for a UK circulating coin should they ever go to auction.
The 31st January 2020 Brexit 50p
With Brexit finally taking place on 31st January 2020, The Royal Mint once again revised the 50p design to reflect the correct date. This version entered circulation as intended, with 10,001,000 coins released.
How Rare Is the Brexit 50p?
While the 31st January 2020 Brexit 50p is an important historical coin, its mintage of over 10 million means it is not particularly rare. In contrast, the 31st October 2019 Brexit 50ps are some of the rarest modern UK coins, with just two known examples in existence—and an estimated value of over £40,000 each, according to numismatic specialists at Spink and Son auction house!
A Rare and Controversial 50p Coin
The Brexit 50p sparked debate beyond its rarity. Some critics, including author Sir Philip Pullman, objected to the lack of an Oxford comma in the coin’s inscription, arguing that “Peace, prosperity and friendship with all nations” should have included a comma after “prosperity.”
Despite the controversy, the Brexit 50p remains a fascinating piece of numismatic history, marking a significant political moment and offering collectors a rare opportunity to own a coin with an unusual backstory.
Could There Be More £40,000 Brexit 50ps Out There?
With only two known examples of the ultra-rare 31st October 2019 Brexit 50p discovered so far, it raises the thrilling possibility that more could be waiting to be found. Collectors are being urged to check their change—you might just strike gold!
>>> You can buy the 2020 UK Brexit CERTIFIED BU 50p by clicking here <<<
Media hype sees Kew Gardens 50p prices sky-rocket
The Kew Gardens 50p is the UK’s rarest circulation coin
The Royal Mint has announced that the Kew Gardens 50p coin is the scarcest coin in circulation today.
The result has been media hype that has seen prices for this everyday circulation coin sky-rocket. The Guardian first reported prices being paid of £24 for this 50 pence coin but since then the Daily Mirror and other media sources have identified coins selling for as much as £120 – 240 times it face value!
Even more incredibly, a Brilliant Uncirculated version of the coin in its original Royal Mint pack, which would have first sold for less than £10, was showing bids of £310 on e-Bay.
So how rare is this coin?
There are 940,000,000 50 pence coins in circulation and just 210,000 Kew Gardens 50p pieces were ever issued into circulation. That means that they account for 0.02% of the 50p coins in circulation. Or to look at it another way, there is just 1 coin for every 300 people in the UK.
It is a pretty rare coin but despite collector interest, most of the coins released are still in circulation, meaning the sharp-eyed collector can still find one for just 50p. So whilst it may be worth a sensible premium if you’re desperate to own one, prices of £100 are frankly absurd.
If I was you, I’d let the hype die down and look again in a month or two.
Read about the 50p that’s even rarer than Kew Gardens>
For more information on the coins in your pocket and change collecting visit www.changechecker.org.