A coin collector has issued urgent advice for households to check their change for a specific 50p coin that can be worth significantly more than its face value. The Shield 50p coin, designed by Matthew Dent, features the lower portion of the Royal Arms and forms a complete shield when placed with other UK coins. According to the TikTok account Coin Collector UK, which has 237,300 followers, certain years of this coin were not intended for circulation and are now highly sought after by collectors.
Rare Years Not Intended for Circulation
In a viral video, the collector explained that a 2018 Shield 50p coin, which never entered general circulation, can be worth between £50 and £60. He added: "At first glance you might think it's just a regular Shield coin, what you want to be looking out for on yours is the dates on the Queen's head side of the coin." The rare years that were not intended for circulation include 2009, 2010, 2011, 2016, 2018, and 2021. These coins range in value from approximately £30 to £80, with 2016 being the rarest and most valuable.
How to Identify and Value Your Coin
The collector advised: "If you do come across these Shields in your change, which I'm guessing you do quite regularly, have a check of the date, if it's any of those, then it's worth keeping in your collection or selling on because it's worth a decent amount." The most sought-after circulated year is 2017, with a mintage of just 1.8 million coins. Other mintage figures include 2008 with 22,747,000, 2014 with 49,001,000, and 2019 with 122,000,000. While circulated Shield 50p coins are typically worth face value, Brilliant Uncirculated (BU) versions from the Royal Mint can fetch between £10 and £30 depending on the year. Collectors can use the Change Checker Scarcity Index for exact rankings.
Professional Valuation and Other Rare Coins
If you suspect you have a rare coin, it is advised to consult a professional for valuation. Once confirmed, you can choose to keep it, sell it at auction, or list it on eBay. Other notable rare coins include a "super rare" Brexit 50p coin worth up to £40,000, according to TikTok account @CoinCollectingWizard. He explained that the October 2019 version of the Brexit 50p is extremely rare, with only a few ever found.
