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Rarest 50 Pence in circulation according the to Royal Mint

By Coinsanduk    |   Wednesday, 9 October 2024

The list of rarest 50 pence in circulation by the Royal Mint was just updated, with the addition of the 50 Pence 2023 Atlantic Salmon design. The original list was first published early in 2023.

Displaying the traditional image of Britannia that represents the spirit of our nation, the 50p coin was introduced in 1969 as part of the new decimal coinage.

Due to the size and shape of this bold new coin, it was used to introduce commemorative designs into circulation. In 1973, The Royal Mint produced a special edition of the coin to celebrate the United Kingdom's accession to the European Economic Community (EEC).

Later, to honour the 50th anniversary of the D-Day landings, a 1994-dated 50p coin featured a design by John Mills that depicted the Allied forces moving towards Normandy.

1. 50 Pence 2003 Atlantic Salmon

50 Pence 2023 Atlantic Salmon - British Coins

Mintage: 200,000

The Atlantic salmon was chosen to feature as the focus of one of eight new definitive designs following His Majesty King Charles III's accession to the throne.

The theme of this new collection of designs is flora and fauna from across all four UK nations, and many of the animals featured are considered endangered or represent conservation success stories. Although wild populations of the Atlantic salmon are affected by factors such as river pollution, habitat loss, overfishing, and river heating due to lack of tree cover and climate change, this wild fish can be found in very clean rivers in Scotland and Wales, as well as in North and South West England.

The definitive designs were first revealed in October 2023, with production of the coins beginning shortly afterwards and the Atlantic salmon UK 50p coin entered circulation at the end of November. As this 2023 coin has a low mintage of 200,000 coins, this makes it even rarer than the 2009 Kew Gardens UK 50p coin.

The releasing of mintage figures is an eagerly anticipated event among the coin collecting community – and this year is particularly exciting as we reveal the Atlantic Salmon as the rarest 50p in circulation. For the first time in 15 years, the highly collectable Kew Gardens 50p loses its top spot as the rarest in circulation with the Atlantic Salmon 50p splashing its way to number one.

2023 marked pivotal changes for the nation’s coinage, including the introduction of coins celebrating King Charles III’s coronation entering circulation. Finding these special designs, like the Atlantic Salmon, in your change is a win for all collectors.

- Rebecca Morgan, Director of Commemorative Coin at The Royal Mint

  • Composition: 75% copper, 25% nickel nickel (Cupro-nickel)
  • Diameter: 27.3 mm
  • Weight: 8 g
  • Thickness: 1.78 mm
  • Edge: Plain

2. 50 Pence 2009 Kew Gardens

50 Pence 2009 Kew Gardens - British Coins

Mintage: 210,000

The Kew Gardens 50p held its place as the rarest 50p coin in circulation for the better part of 14 years after its release. Its design celebrates the royal botanical garden with the Chinese pagoda taking centre stage.

The design was created by Christopher Le Brun and depicts decorative leafy vines climbing in and around the pagoda.

There was not a high demand for the 50p denomination in 2009, which was the main reason for the unusually low number of 50p coins struck that year. A mintage of 210,000 is remarkably low, which made this coin highly sought after as soon as it was released into circulation.

There is also a 2019-dated coin celebrating this recognisable design but it is the original 2009 edition that holds its place as a rare and valuable coin.

50 Pence 2009 values


3. 50 Pence 2011 Olympic Football

50 Pence 2011 Olympic Football - British Coins

Mintage: 1,125,500

The reverse of the Olympic football coin was designed by sports journalist Neil Wolfson. Its design attempts to answer the question that has been asked since 1863: what is offside?

The playful look depicts a classic football tactics board to demonstrate in an easy-to-understand way when a player would be considered on- and offside.


4. 50 Pence 2011 Olympic Wrestling

50 Pence 2011 Olympic Wrestling - British Coins

Mintage: 1,129,500

The wrestling coin is another piece in the Olympic 50p collection that immortalises an all-action sport. Its reverse designer, Roderick Enriquez, created a futuristic look for a historic sport, capturing the moment a wrestler is thrown onto the mat in a modern stadium representation.

Individual raised dots represent the watching crowd, and the purposely undersized mat emphasises the close-range nature of the bouts. The action silhouettes highlight the strength and technical skill involved in wrestling.


5. 50 Pence 2011 Olympic Judo

50 Pence 2011 Olympic Judo - British Coins

Mintage: 1,161,500

The design shows two athletes in mid-throw. It was created by David Cornell.


6. 50 Pence 2011 Olympic Triathlon

50 Pence 2011 Olympic Triathlon - British Coins

Mintage: 1,163,500

The fourth coin from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games collection to make it onto the list of the rarest circulating 50p coins commemorates triathlon. The coin's reverse design was created by Sarah Harvey.


7. 50 Pence 2018 Peter Rabbit

50 Pence 2018 Peter Rabbit - British Coins

Mintage: 1,400,000

The 2018 Peter Rabbit coins were made in Proof and Brilliant Uncirculated finishes in addition to the circulating coins.

This 50p coin features Peter Rabbit munching on radishes and was designed by Emma Noble, a product designer at The Royal Mint.

Peter Rabbit is a fictional animal character in various children's stories by English author Beatrix Potter. A mischievous, adventurous young rabbit who wears a blue jacket, he first appeared in The Tale of Peter Rabbit in 1902.


8. 50 Pence 2018 Flopsy Bunny

50 Pence 2018 Flopsy Bunny - British Coins

Mintage: 1,400,000

Written and illustrated by Helen Beatrix Potter, the stories of Peter Rabbit and his family are the bestselling children's books of all time, with films and original stories still being produced to this day.

Featuring designs by Emma Noble, who drew inspiration from Potter's original illustrations that accompanied the stories, a collection of coins inspired by Peter Rabbit was made and entered circulation in 2018.

The Flopsy Bunny coin is the first and only time Peter Rabbit's sister has appeared on a UK coin, with the character taking centre stage in the reverse design that depicts her characteristic cape that will be familiar to all Beatrix Potter fans.


9. 50 Pence 2011 Olympic Tennis

50 Pence 2011 Olympic Tennis - British Coins

Mintage: 1,454,000

Featuring a reverse design by competition winner Tracey Baines, a sculptor and jewellery designer from Peterborough, the coin displays the image of a tennis ball sailing over a net.


10. 50 Pence 2011 Olympic Goalball

50 Pence 2011 Goalball Tennis - British Coins

Mintage: 1,615,500

To celebrate the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Royal Mint produced a series of coins that commemorated the third time the historic games had been held on British soil.

Many of the sports on show in London and around the country were immortalised in a series of 29 designs. The collection proved very popular, with many people seeking out these iconic coins to complete their set.

A competition was held to design the coins that would make up this collection and the winning designer for the goalball coin was Jonathan Wren. The reverse of the coin features the distinctive arc of an athlete in mid-throw during the Paralympic Games.


50 Pence 2011 Olympic Aquatics - British Coins

The first design of the 2011 Olympic Games Aquatics 50p is arguably on of the most highly prized 50p in existence.

The design was created by Jonathan Olliffe, and it depicts a swimmer in action with fluid lines struck into the metal representing the waves.

In the rare first design, these lines covered the swimmer's face. Soon after its release, the coin was tweaked to make the face more visible, but not before the first design made it out into the world.

50 Pence 2011 Olympic Aquatics Lines on Face - British Coins

No one knows exactly how many entered circulation before the changes were made, only that numbers are extremely limited.

This is often the case with error coins, and they immediately become a collectable piece. Few have ever been sold and many take pride of place in private collections.

Decimal British coins price guide and values

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