A coin expert has urged Britons to check their change for a rare 50p piece that could be worth as much as £2,000. The 2011 Olympic aquatics 50p, minted to commemorate the 2012 London Olympics, features a swimmer on the reverse side. However, a minting error on an early version makes it highly sought after.
In a TikTok video, the Coin Collecting Wizard explained that the error coin has extra lines representing water flowing over the swimmer's face. Only about 600 of these error coins are believed to be in circulation, compared with two million of the standard design.
The expert warned that fakes exist and advised collectors to verify authenticity. He said: 'If you aren't sure whether a coin is genuine, comment below or tag me in a video and I will do my best to help.'
According to RWB Auctions, the design was 'tweaked' rather than being an error, but these 2011-dated coins regularly sell for more than £1,000.
