A rare 50p coin has sold for a staggering £179 after sparking a bidding war on eBay. Many coins are worth more than their original value, with collectors all too keen to snap them up, and this one in particular is estimated to be worth around £140.
The coin was released in 2009 to mark 250 years since Kew Gardens opened in 1759 and the Royal Mint estimate around 210,000 were made. It features the famous Chinese Pagoda at the Royal Botanic Garden on the tails side with the Queen's face on the other, reports the Echo.
According to its online listing, the "Rare 100% Genuine 2009 Kew Gardens 50p Coin In Excellent Circulated Condition" had a starting price of 99p.
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But a 28-way bidding war quickly ensued, bumping the final sale price to £179 - plus £6.85 for "express delivery".
This means the coin sold for a whopping 358 times its face value. There are an estimated 210,000 of the coins in circulation.
If you find a Kew Gardens 50p in your change soon, the first thing you should do is check the date on it. This is because the Royal Mint reissued a batch of the coins in 2019 to celebrate 50 years of the 50p, and this version doesn’t tend to sell for as much.
But you could still be in for an exciting payday if you find one of these, as they can sell for between £70 and £80 on eBay.
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