A coin expert has urged Britons to check their change for a rare 50p piece that could be worth up to £50 due to a minting error. The coin, minted in 2017 to commemorate Sir Isaac Newton, has a mintage of only 1.8 million, making it highly sought after by collectors.
The error, known as a die clash, manifests as several extra lines across Queen Elizabeth II's portrait on the obverse side. In a TikTok video, the Coin Collecting Wizard explained: 'What you are looking for is for the obverse to have several extra lines across Queen Elizabeth's portrait. If your coin has these lines, then congratulations, you have found it.'
According to the expert, the lines are not scratches but raised 'whiskers' caused by the die clash during minting. While the exact number of error coins in circulation is unknown, they are considered extremely rare and have been listed on the secondary market for more than 100 times their face value.
Change Checker echoed the advice, noting that despite the coin's popularity and low mintage, collectors should look for the obverse error. At the time of reporting, several versions of the coin were listed on eBay with asking prices ranging from £100 to over £1,000.
