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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
National
Kieran Isgin

People urged to check their pocket change after rare 50p coin sells for £137 in bidding war

A highly sought-after rare 50p coin is allowing people to turn a tidy profit following a bidding war.

Collectors online are willing to drop a lot of money for rare coins. In some cases, these coins can rack up a price tag of a thousand pounds.

One eBay seller managed to rake in nearly £140 for their rare version of a 50p coin. Released in 2009, the special edition coin marks the 250-year anniversary of Kew Gardens - the Royal Mint issued around 210,000 of these rare coins, the Liverpool Echo reports.

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It features the world-famous Chinese Pagoda at the Royal Botanic Garden on the tail side while the Queen's face is featured on the opposite side. On the coin's online listing, it states: "FANTASTIC KEW GARDENS EXTREMELY RARE 2009 50p COIN Q.E.II."

The coin had a starting price of only £1 but it quickly became clear that collectors were willing to spend much more. Soon after the listing went live, a 22-way bidding war quickly ensued, bumping the price up to £137, with free standard delivery.

If you discover a Kew Gardens 50p in your pocket, it may be worth checking the date on it. In 2019, the Royal Mint reissued the special coin, however, this version is not worth as much as the original.

However, the coin could still go for as much as £80 on eBay if you get lucky.

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