Latest news with #TheRoyalMint
The Sun
5 hours ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Do you have this ultra rare 50p that sold for £198 after bidding war? Key details to check
A RARE 50p coin has sold for almost 400 times its original value after an intense bidding war. The coin sold for a huge £198.20 on eBay after receiving 20 bids. 1 It is a 2009 London 2012 Olympic Games Blue Peter 50p, which came sealed in its original packaging. The commemorative design was brought out to mark the 2012 London Olympics. Only 19,722 of these Blue Peter branded coin packs were issued by the Royal Mint and they were never brought into circulation. It's possible some have entered circulation since then, but they are still an ultra rare find. The coin, dated 2009, was the first of 29 officially licensed London 2012 Olympics coins. Its design was created by eight-year-old Florence Jackson from Bristol, who had entered her high jump-themed drawing into a Blue Peter competition. Her design was picked from an impressive 17,000 entries. She is still the youngest Brit to have her design used on a coin. These coins have been selling for large amounts of money on auction sites like eBay. One of them sold for a huge £320 earlier this year. Five 50ps that could earn you thousands More Olympic coins were brought into circulation in 2011 - including the Athletics 50p. Some 2.2million of the Athletics 50ps were issued in 2011, meaning these are much less rare and worth a lot less. So if you have this coin and want to check if it's worth much, you'll just need to check the year on it. Other Olympic coins to collect depict sports such as Taekwondo, Wheelchair Rugby, Gymnastics, Cycling, Boxing, and Archery. What makes a coin rare? If the right buyer comes along, rare coins can sell for hundreds or even thousands of pounds. Coins are generally considered rare if they have a low mintage figure - meaning not many of them were created. You can usually find out the mintage of a coin by checking The Royal Mint 's official website. Some coins will also be classed as rare if there was a mistake made during the manufacturing process. These are often known as "error" coins. In some cases there may only be a handful of these available, making them incredibly rare and valuable. For example, one error coin dubbed the "lines over face" 50p, has been known to sell for £1,500 in the past. Most rare and valuable 50p coins WE reveal the Royal Mint's most rare and valuable 50p coins in circulation. Triathlon Minted in 2011, the Triathlon 50p depicts the same sport which featured in the 2012 Olympics. There are more than 1,160,000 of the coins in circulation. With over 200million 50ps circulating in the UK, that makes this coin quite a rare find. The highest recent sale we've found on eBay recently was £30 on June 21. Judo Judo is a popular sport that involves grappling with your opponent. But despite the design, it's not so easy to get a hold of this coin, of which there are just 1,161,500 in circulation. The piece was designed by David Cornell after he won a national competition. It was minted in 2011 and the highest bid we've seen on eBay was for £17.95 on June 21. Wrestling Wrestling was one of the first Olympic sports so it's not surprising that it features on one of the 50p pieces. The 2011 coin was designed by Roderick Enriquez, a graphic designer from Hammersmith, London. We've seen it sell for as much as £15 online so is worth digging around for. In recent months, one was sold on eBay for £11.95 on June 18. Football Of all the coins created to commemorate the 2012 Olympic Games, the 50p Football is among the rarest. It features an explanation of the controversial offside rule on it, with 1,125,000 produced. One sold for £20 on eBay on June 11, although it has been known to go for as much as £75 in the past. Kew Gardens The Kew Gardens 50p is the rarest of all the 50p pieces, with only 210,000 in circulation. They have been known to sell for as much as £895 on eBay before. The design was created by Christopher Le Brun RA and features the famous Chinese Pagoda with a leafy chamber that twists around the tower. The coin often sparks the interest of new coin collectors due to its rarity. The highest sale we found in recent weeks was £142 on June 22 with 23 bids. How to sell a rare coin There are three main ways you can sell rare coins - on eBay, Facebook, or in an auction. If you're selling on Facebook, make sure you post good quality pictures and price the piece as accurately as possible. Some platforms like eBay will let you see how much the same coin has sold for previously. Just search for the coin and then filter the results by sold items only. Alternatively you can sell at auction, which you can organise with The Royal Mint's Collectors Service. It has a team of experts who can help you authenticate and value your coin. You can get in touch via email and a member of the valuation team will get back to you. You will be charged for the service though - the cost varies depending on the size of your collection.
Daily Record
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Check your change for three rare £1 coins worth hundreds – including one error piece
A coin collector has warned people to keep an eye on three rare £1 coins which are worth hundreds more than their face value – including one with an iconic error Rummaging through your loose change might reveal some rare coins that could be worth hundreds, including the holy grail of 50p coins. Whether they date back centuries or feature a distinctive mistake on their surface, spotting the minor details is essential. If you're hoping to earn some additional cash, check whether you possess any of these scarce £1 coins. In a TikTok video, user @CoinCollectingWizard, who amassed 253,100 followers, highlighted three particular pieces that deserve attention. He then exclusively disclosed what steps to take should you discover one of these coins in your possession. The clip started: "Valuable £1 coins you need to look out for. The last one is unbelievable. "This is a new pound coin from 2016 and what you need to look for is a small floral symbol at the bottom left of the coin, just above the letter 'E'. If you find this then it's rare and only 9,850 were minted. "Next is an old round pound coin from 2016 with the shield design, only 38,000 of these coins were minted making it rare and worth around £30 to collectors. Just remember the date needs to be 2016." He then outlined a 2016 £1 coin which requires a magnifying glass to spot this mistake. The TikTok creator went on: "Some of the 2016 coins were minted with the wrong engraving of 2017 making this super rare and valuable to coin collectors. "So check around the edge for the date 2017 and if you find this, it's been know to sell for £500." Since the clip appeared on TikTok, it garnered hundreds of likes and now the expert has provided additional information about these rare coins. He also revealed to coin enthusiasts how they can get their hands on one. "The first pound coin is usually in collector sets from The Royal Mint so would only be found in your change if someone broke open the pack and spent it which does happen," he exclusively revealed. He continued: "The second coin is an old round pound coin and many are still out there around people's homes. You can't find the old pounds in change anymore but it is very possible they have one lying around somewhere. "The third error coin with micro engraving has been found a few times by collectors and are definitely out there to find." The TikTok expert also suggested people make one blunder with the coin as he continued: "They don't normally find many due to the tiny micro engraving and needing a magnifying glass to see if it has the error. "The last one sold for £550. If you were to find them then eBay is a great place to sell or take them to your local coin shop/antiques. There are also many Facebook coin groups that collectors are always on buying and selling."
South Wales Argus
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- South Wales Argus
New Royal Mint £2 coin released to mark railway anniversary
The collectible £2 coin, which will not enter circulation, has been released to mark the 200th anniversary of Britain's modern railway. Train enthusiast Francis Bourgeois, known for his online rail-focused content, helped strike the first coin. The coin features the Locomotion No.1, the first steam train along the Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1825. It was initially included in the annual coin sets for 2025, but has now been released as a standalone collectible. Rebecca Morgan, director of commemorative coin at The Royal Mint, said: "Coin collecting, much like Francis's dedication to trains, brings together people who share a passion for history and heritage. "We've seen tremendous interest from collectors of all ages who appreciate how coins can commemorate significant moments like the birth of modern railways, making this standalone release a celebration not just of railway history, but of the joy of collecting itself."
Business News Wales
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Business News Wales
Royal Mint Releases Commemorative Coin to Celebrate 200 Years of British Railways
The Royal Mint has released a new commemorative coin celebrating the 200th anniversary of Britain's modern railway, with train enthusiast and social media personality Francis Bourgeois striking the first coin. Francis, whose genuine passion for trains has captivated millions across social media, was a natural choice for the striking, The Royal Mint said. The collectible £2 coin features the iconic Locomotion No. 1 which first steamed along the Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1825. Previously included in The Royal Mint's 2025 annual coin sets, this special edition has now been released as a standalone collectible. The detailed design depicts Locomotion No. 1 on the historic opening day of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, capturing a moment that transformed British transportation. Each coin features the edge inscription 'ACTIVE · LOCOMOTION NO 1' as a tribute to the revolutionary locomotive, offering collectors a tangible piece of British industrial heritage. Francis shared the striking ceremony with his millions of followers on TikTok, introducing many young enthusiasts to the hobby of coin collecting while celebrating his own passion for railways. Rebecca Morgan, Director of Commemorative Coin at The Royal Mint, said: 'Coin collecting, much like Francis's dedication to trains, brings together people who share a passion for history and heritage. Both hobbies offer a fascinating window into our nation's past and provide communities where enthusiasts can share knowledge and excitement. We've seen tremendous interest from collectors of all ages who appreciate how coins can commemorate significant moments like the birth of modern railways, making this standalone release a celebration not just of railway history, but of the joy of collecting itself.' Emma Roberts, programme manager for Railway 200, said: 'Having a commemorative coin from The Royal Mint is a huge honour. We're delighted that the vital role of the railway on our lives is being recognised in this way. The opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway two centuries ago accelerated a rail revolution around the world. That historic moment helped to shape the past, present and future of rail and deserves to be commemorated in this bicentenary year.' The commemorative coin is available in a range of finishes including gold and silver editions, alongside a standard brilliant uncirculated version, with prices starting from £17.50. There are no plans for the coin to enter general circulation.
Business News Wales
6 days ago
- Business
- Business News Wales
The Royal Mint Reports Record Interest in Multi-Metal Investments
Online bullion transactions reached record levels in the first quarter of the financial year, figures from The Royal Mint show. Insights from reveal exceptional investor activity across all precious metals during Q1 2025 – up 55% year-on-year – as gold's rally prompted broadened interest in silver and platinum. Gold set five new all-time highs in GBP, peaking above £2,500 in April, driving unprecedented engagement from UK investors. Online bullion coin sales (gold, silver and platinum) achieved the second-highest levels on record, with revenue remaining robust at 115% above the same period last year, despite a natural 17% decline from the record-setting Q4 tax year-end. The quarter also revealed a record number of customers selling precious metals back from The Royal Mint's vault across all three precious metals. The value of gold coins sold reached an all-time high, increasing 75% quarter-on-quarter and 55% year-on-year. One standout transaction saw a customer purchase gold coins in October 2024 and sell in June 2025 for a £70,000 Capital Gains Tax free profit. Despite record sell-back activity, gold coin purchases still outweighed sales by a 6:1 ratio, demonstrating continued demand for the precious metal. The quarter showcased remarkable growth in alternative precious metals, with silver breaking through £27 per ounce in June for the first time since 2011. Comparing Q1 2025 with the same period last year, silver sales increased 51% while platinum sales rose 188%. The Royal Mint's VAT-free DigiGold range experienced unprecedented demand across all metals, with the most dramatic growth in silver and platinum. Digital Gold sales rose 103% year-on-year, while Digital Platinum sales soared 798% and Digital Silver sales rocketed 1,158% compared to Q1 2024. Stuart O'Reilly, Market Insights Manager at The Royal Mint, said: 'This quarter demonstrated a remarkable evolution in UK precious metals investing. We're seeing strategic behaviour from investors to rebalance portfolios and rotating into silver and platinum. 'The fact that silver and platinum activity has surged alongside gold's rally shows UK investors are becoming increasingly aware of the value of other precious metals, with silver and platinum often following gold's lead during major rallies.' Despite gold's modest pullback from April highs, underlying demand drivers remain robust. The Royal Mint's vault operations experienced exceptional activity during the quarter, taking delivery of substantial quantities of bullion bars including 400oz gold bars and 1,000oz silver bars to meet record customer demand, while simultaneously processing the highest levels of customer sellbacks on record.
