NOW is a perfect time to check whether you’re the owner of a 50p coin that could be worth 240 times its value.
The rare coin sold for £120 after an intense bidding war on eBay.
Fifty pence pieces can often be worth much more than their face value.
This particular valuable rarity is a 2009 Kew Gardens 50p.
Earlier this week one of these coins sold for £120 on eBay after a bidding war, with 13 offers placed.
Other postings for the same coin are currently listed at £177.52, and £161.92.
The coin was designed by Christopher Le Brun in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Botanical Gardens’ foundation.
It had a very low mintage of just 210,000 copies, which means that it has since rocketed in value as it is the rarest of all 50p pieces.
One side of the coin features Kew’s iconic Great Pagoda.
Its base is encircled with a vine while the word ‘Kew’ decorates the bottom.
The dates 1759 and 2009 are inscribed, honouring the coin’s 250th anniversary celebration.
On the reverse, the fourth portrait of Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II adorns the coin.
Alongside the portrait the initials identify the engraver as Ian Rank-Broadley.
To spot the coin among your collection, look out for the leafy design.
Another limited edition 50p recently sold for £262.
Dated to 2009, the design was the first of 29 officially licenced London 2012 Olympic coins to be released by The Royal Mint.
The coin is the same size and weight as a 50p coin found in your change and measures 8g by 27g in diameter.
The starting price was just £5 but six bidders fought it out, with one eventually submitting the winning bid on June 30.
The coin’s design was created by eight-year-old Florence Jackson from Bristol.
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How to sell a rare coin
If you are lucky to find a rare coin among your spare change or have one at home, you can sell it through online marketplaces such as eBay.
Simply take pictures of the coin, any certificates of authenticity you have and any packaging.
You can also sell coins via auction, through the Royal Mint’s Collector’s Service.
If you choose this option a team of experts will authenticate and value your coin.
You will also receive advice on how to sell it.
