Why we wouldn’t pay £120 (or even £24 for that matter) for the Kew Gardens 50p

Kew Gardens 50p

How much is it worth to you?

After revealing some months ago that the Kew Gardens 50p is the rarest of all the 50p coins currently in circulation, the Royal Mint has successfully pushed the story out into the national press.

The resultant hype has seen prices sky-rocket.  The Guardian initially reported prices being paid of £24 for the coin but before long the Daily Mirror and other news sources were quoting prices of £120 from e-Bay.

Incredibly, as we write, an original Brilliant Uncirculated version in a Royal Mint presentation pack (not actually one of the coins that went into circulation) is currently listed with bids of £310 on e-Bay.

But let’s step back from the hype for a minute and consider the facts:

  • Yes, with just 210,000 pieces ever released into circulation this is a very scarce coin.

    eBay bid for Kew Gardens 50p

    One listing on eBay has reached an unbelievable £310.

  • That does mean that there is only one coin for every 300 people in the UK.
  • Collectors will have taken some out of circulation.

But most of the coins will still be in circulation and remain so for many years.

25% of Change Checkers own the Kew Gardens 50p

In fact if you keep your eyes peeled as a Change Checker, you’ve still got fair chance of owning one.  Amongst 50p Change Checkers about a quarter have Kew Gardens listed in their collection and we’re sure they haven’t all paid £120 for their coins.

So what to do if you’re impatient to own one.  Well don’t panic and pay today’s prices, which are hugely inflated by the media hype.  Bide your time a little and look around.

And, in case you really want one now, we’ve got 5 in stock, which we’re selling for only £17.50 each.  If you’re interested just fill in the form below.

So there are two morals to the Kew Gardens story:

  1. You never know what treasure’s in your pocket
  2. Don’t believe everything you read in the papers.

Happy Change Checking.

Read about the 50p coin that is even rarer than Kew Gardens


Register your interest in a Kew Gardens 50p for £17.50
Enter your name and contact details below before 28th February to register your interest in one of five Kew Gardens 50ps we have available.  If we receive more than five enquiries before the closing date we will draw five people at random and contact them directly with further details.

Sorry now closed

13 Comments

  1. David on March 12, 2014 at 8:34 am

    could do with 1 for my collection but would not pay over the odds for it



  2. Peter Armstrong on March 6, 2014 at 1:32 am

    This is as bad as WH Smith selling Olympic 50p pieces in a package for £2.50p each.



  3. ivan on March 1, 2014 at 7:26 pm

    i would really love this coin for my collection, so would be more than happy to pay your price 🙂



  4. carolyn kapp on February 25, 2014 at 10:16 pm

    Same here would be a great addition to my collection.



  5. E on February 24, 2014 at 11:03 pm

    What annoys me is the fact that the Royal Mint brought out the Coin Hunt books,supposedly for the everyday person who enjoys checking their change and keeping their finds altogether.
    What they have done NOW is made it virtually impossible for these albums to be completed,and also spoiling what has been an enjoyable hobby for so many people for many years. So I see no point in buying these albums. Also now investors and speculators will pay RIDICULOUS PRICES for a coin that at the end of the day is only worth 50p.
    I have spoken today with the press office at the Royal Mint and told them of my anger and that there was NO NEED to make a press release as most people already knew that this coin was rare,and what was the point now as the coin is 5 years old. I also told them that I and MANY others are seriously thinking of sending these albums back.
    I suggest that everyone else who thinks the same as I do contact the Royal Mint Press Office,( telephone number 0845 6005018) either by the number given and also by putting it in writing and telling them what they have to say on the subject.I am also giving them my opinion on this subject in writing.



  6. Gypo on February 24, 2014 at 8:18 pm

    People being fooled into buying the silver versions at inflated prices too but they are not the ones that are rare.
    It’s only those that were minted for circulation (or in collectors packs (non-silver)) that are scarce. The silver proof ones are available at the same sort of numbers that all other silver ones are….. Hence not rare so don’t get fooled into buying one of those thinking you have a rare one.

    If you do want one that will ‘Possibly’ go up in value and not down go for a proof one or a reasonably priced slabbed one, but beware looking on the sites of the companies that grade & slab them there are not many of that coin that has been slabbed by them so fakes will be everywhere.



  7. Nigel Lane on February 24, 2014 at 7:51 pm

    This coin would complete my collection



  8. stephen godfrey on February 24, 2014 at 5:57 pm

    great coin to add to anyone`s collection.



  9. Andy Maxfield on February 24, 2014 at 5:53 pm

    there is one 50p that is overlooked for being rare and that is the 1992 single market coin of which only 109,000 where minted, I wonder how much this one is worth and yes I am lucky to own one



  10. Anthony Baldwin on February 24, 2014 at 5:47 pm

    This coin would make my collection complete.



  11. Adrian hill on February 21, 2014 at 4:04 pm

    Would like to add kew gardens 50p piece to my collection



    • Christopher McLean on March 8, 2014 at 11:02 pm

      I have 2 Kew Garden 50p coins for sale if anybody wanting to buy them?



      • Rosemary Kerr on March 11, 2014 at 6:47 pm

        What price are you selling them for?