A 2011 Aquatics 50p coin featuring a design error could be worth up to £2,000, according to a coin expert. The rare variant, known as the "lines over face error," is one of only around 600 coins that entered circulation, making it one of the rarest 50p coins in the UK.
What makes this 50p coin valuable?
The coin was released ahead of the London 2012 Olympics and features a swimmer moving through the water. The original design by Jonathan Olliffe included wavy water lines passing directly across the swimmer's face. The Royal Mint quickly modified the design to clear the lines off the swimmer's face before producing the main batch of over 2.1 million normal coins.
The rare version has wavy water lines going over the swimmer's face, a feature that was quickly corrected, making the first few releases super limited. On the standard 2011 Aquatics 50p, the swimmer's face is fully visible.
How much is it worth?
According to auction house RWB Auctions, these 2011-dated coins regularly sell for more than a thousand pounds. In 2024, RWB Auctions sold an example of the coin for £1,500. The expert, who posts on TikTok as @CoinCollectingWizard, shared information about the coin with his 273,500 followers.
The expert said: "The rare version has wavy water lines going over the swimmer's face like this. It's called the 'lines over face error' and it was quickly corrected, making those first few releases super limited. That's a 50p coin turning into a holiday, a new laptop or half a car. Just remember that the regular version is just worth 50p. You need to see those swimming lines over the swimmer's face to be rich. One tiny detail – one massive payday."
What to do if you find one
The Royal Mint quickly fixed the mistake, with RWB Auctions describing it as a "tweak" rather than an "error." If you suspect you have one of these coins, don't clean it. Instead, have it checked over by a professional who can verify it for you.
