It’s becoming ever more pertinent to check through your coins – you may be holding onto a tiny treasure worth far more than its face value without realising it.
The latest bit of currency causing quite the stir among coin collectors and on social media is none other than a 50p piece sporting a portrait of King Charles III.
Avid numismatist @CoinCollectingWizard roused significant interest with their latest TikTok video explaining just why this coinage has dethroned the previously renowned Kew Gardens coin.
Relaying the key details in the clip, @CoinCollectingWizard said: “The coin you need to look for is the Atlantic Salmon 50p. The Atlantic Salmon 50p coin is now the rarest 50p coin in active circulation with only 200,000 released to UK banks and post offices.”
They further highlighted the coin’s importance reports the Mirror, stressing: “This is an exciting day in the world of coin collecting as the Atlantic Salmon coin takes the crown from the almighty Kew Gardens 50p which held the title for the past 15 years.”
The scarce Atlantic Salmon 50p was minted at the decline of 2023, marking the celebration of King Charles’ Coronation year. @CoinCollectingWizard went on to say: “The coin has now officially overtaken the Kew Gardens 50p which had a mintage of 210,000 when it was introduced in 2009.”
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And capturing the enthusiasm of collectors, they noted: “And now the 2023 Atlantic Salmon 50p is the most sought-after 50p in circulation. The coin has already started to gain traction on the likes of eBay and coin groups, and the price is skyrocketing but does seem to be settling around the £100 mark.”
The Royal Mint has recently announced a new champion when it comes to scarce UK coins, with just 200,000 copies in circulation – the Atlantic Salmon leapt ahead of the “highly collectible” 2009 Kew Gardens 50p, holding the title for the rarest coin for the first time in a decade and a half.
Rebecca Morgan from the Royal Mint highlighted the significance of such a find: “Finding these special designs, like the Atlantic salmon, in your change is a win for all collectors.”
Curious whether you might have this gem in your own collection? Social media users are already buzzing about their finds. A TikTok comment read: “I have them all,” while another user expressed frustration: “So hard to find!”
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