A 2017 Benjamin Bunny 50p coin featuring a rotation error could be worth significantly more than its face value, according to a coin collecting expert on TikTok.
The coin, part of the Beatrix Potter collection, has the Queen's head on the obverse misaligned with the Benjamin Bunny design on the reverse. The error occurred during the minting process, leaving the Queen's head facing a different direction than the bunny.
What is the rotation error?
In a video shared by @CoinCollectingWizard, who has 273,000 followers on TikTok, the expert explained: "This 50p is an error all because the design is facing the wrong way. The error that's left the Queen's head in a different direction on the obverse design of the Benjamin Bunny on the reverse will have happened in the minting process."
"When you flip it round, the Queen should be facing the same way Benjamin Bunny. If the Queen is facing any other way, then you have found a rare rotation error worth money."
The expert added that error coins remain legal tender as long as the original coin is still in circulation, meaning they can turn up in everyday change.
How to spot the rare coin
The standard 2017 Benjamin Bunny 50p coin is common, with 25 million produced by The Royal Mint as part of the Beatrix Potter collection. The only genuinely rare version is the rotation error variant.
To check if you have one, hold the coin upright, face the obverse (Queen Elizabeth's portrait) straight up, then flip it over vertically. If the Benjamin Bunny design on the reverse appears skewed or tilted rather than standing straight, you may have a rotation error.
Checking loose change from daily cash circulation or bank withdrawals could reveal the coin, as rotation errors appear randomly in standard circulation.
