Rare 50p coin worth hundreds as money expert issues call to check if you have one of 210,000 in circulation

Your coin collection might be worth more than you think.

Certain coins can fetch a pretty penny depending on their circulation status and mintage. In the UK, most coins are typically released by the Royal Mint, and this latest find is no different. The Kew Gardens 50p coin, which was released as a limited edition with only 210,000 in circulation, is highly coveted by collectors. It was launched in 2009 to mark the 250th anniversary of London's famous Royal Botanic Gardens.

It's a sought-after piece that many coin enthusiasts would love to have in their collections. Notably, TikTok user @CoinCollectingWizard, who has over 143,000 followers, referred to the Kew Gardens design as the "rarest" 50p coin in a recent video post. He claimed: "The Kew Gardens 50p hit the headlines in February 2014 when it was revealed as the most scarce 50p in circulation. At the peak of the hype surrounding its value, some coins were exchanging hands for hundreds of pounds.", reports the Manchester Evening News.

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"This coin was reissued in 2019 as part of the 50th anniversary of the 50p celebrations, the 2019 version of this coin was a commemorative issue and did not enter general circulation. A circulated version of the 2009 Kew Gardens 50p can easily sell for £150 today, a graded uncirculated version can sell for double this."

"Just 210,000 Kew Gardens were minted for circulation in 2009 and has become the holy grail of UK coin hunting. So next time you are at the shop, make sure you ask for 50p coins in your change as you just never know when this ultra rare 50p might crop up."

Ever since it was offloaded online, the post has racked up hundreds of likes and garnered a slew of comments. One user jubilantly shared: "Got this one! " Meanwhile, another exclaimed: "I have 2x 2009, took me 20 years to find them! ".

The coin enthusiast disclosed how to discern a genuine from a dodgy duplicate of the Kew Gardens coin. They expounded: "If you look under the Queen's neck there are letters IRB which is the designer's initials. If it says IRB copy then it's fake. The other way is always on the Queen's side. No detail in the Queen's hair and crown."

"Best place to find Kew Gardens is trying to get bags of 50ps from your Post Office or bank as you have a higher chance of finding one if you are looking through lots. It's the gold proof version that originally sold for around £700 and recently £6,000 at auction."