Households are being urged to check their change for a 50p coin that recently sold for nearly 200 times its face value on eBay. The Atlantic Salmon 50p, which is considered the rarest 50p coin ever issued, attracted 13 bids before selling for £98.
Bidding war ends at £98
The eBay listing was first added on August 23 and ended after a week-long bidding war, with five bidders competing for the coin. The starting price was £41, but it eventually sold for nearly 200 times its 50p face value.
The Atlantic Salmon 50p was launched to mark King Charles III's love for nature conservation and the environment. It features a portrait by Martin Jennings of His Majesty, which does not carry a privy mark, making it the rarest standard circulating 50p ever issued.
Only 200,000 in circulation
Only 200,000 of these coins are currently in circulation, which, according to ChangeChecker, means just one in 335 people in the UK could potentially have one. The coin surpassed the famous 2009 Kew Gardens 50p to claim the top spot as the rarest 50p.
It features a leaping Atlantic salmon alongside the denomination and King Charles' cypher. Circulating versions may lack the tiny privy mark, which is often found in annual collector sets.
What the coin is worth
Due to high collector demand, circulated versions often sell for significantly more than their 50p face value. Although some listings are higher, it's quite common for the coin to go for between £50 and £90 on marketplaces like eBay.
Graded specimens can reach £185, while official Royal Mint proof presentations generally command higher collector prices, around £150. Collectors on TikTok often praise the rare coin and how special it is.
