The Great 50p Swindle

For some time now the circulation 50p coin has been the bane of numismatists lives the country over. Mention you collect coins to anyone and you'll soon be met with tales of the 'rare' 50p coin they've got tucked away thats worth thousands! Sadly we are here to expose the swindle that has been allowed to proliferate through gutter rags the length and breadth of the country. Get yourself comfortable dear listener for some uncomfortable truths.

Photo courtesy of The Royal Mint

Not a day goes by when papers from Lands End to John O'groats write an article stating that yet another 50p coin has appeared on eBay and it's 'worth' THOUSANDS! Get the speedos in the suitcase and tell your boss what you think of them, this is the windfall you've dreamt of since Morecambe and Wise were on the telly! Except, sadly, you have been tragically misled. The juicy worm on the end of that hook is a mere mirage.

You see, back when Starburst were Opal Fruits the big newspapers held a monopoly on advertising; They knew that millions of people would take themselves for a stroll to the paper shop and buy a physical newspaper, maybe even a marathon bar if they were flush. Within that newspaper was a plethora of ad space that could be sold to anyone with a nice full wallet and something to sell. The Suns daily circulation in 1980, for instance, was nearly 4,000,000 copies. Nowadays they dont report that figure as its taken such a dive but estimates place it at around 500,000 in 2025. Now this poses a real dilemma for Fleet Street... How do we pay for all this champagne if nobody is reading our papers anymore?

This is where YOU come in. You see, in the world of social media, truth is in short supply. Manipulation is the aim of the game. The old adage that if something is free then YOU are the product is never more apparent than with this little trick being played on the masses. What our beloved gutter rags have taken to doing these days is very cunning. Theyll take a picture of a 50p, or sometimes even a £2, that they know was made in the millions. They will then find some feckless dreamer on eBay who has it listed for the price of a week, full board, in Spain and they will report 'Look at this 50p its SELLING for £5000'. Well, sadly, it isnt. But the headline looks good doesnt it? It drew you in like a moth to a flame. You're now rooting through your jeans pockets because you just know you have one. Your hands are trembling, you're wondering is it to be a Ferrari or a Bugatti? Will you go to Turkey or Harley Street to get a full set of piano keys installed? The world really is your oyster, the paper said so! But the call from Miss World never comes. A dark cloud hangs over you. You've never felt this down since George Michael passed.

Once again, we're here to bring you back down to earth. You see every single click on that story registers as a 'customer'. Every single click is another piece of data that the papers can then market as their viewer size for advertisers. A pool of willing fingers eager to click on the next article pontificating on the value of your spare change. When you click that link you don't just get the story, but countless ads down the sides and interspersed in the article just waiting for you to click on them too. YOU are the product being baited by complete nonsense.

Now, dear reader, don't be forlorn, its a cunning plan worthy of Baldrick but you knowing the truth about the work of charlatans is key! Preserving your hard earned savings and negating any future disappointment when you book that trip to the Bahamas on the back of your Paddington 50p is paramount! There are very few 'rare' 50p coins that are worth more than face value. Ask yourself the question, if I have 8 of them in my hand am I... A. Really really lucky or B. Being taken for a mug? I shall let you ponder that age old dilemma. Take as long as you like.

I shan't insult your intelligence by assuming that you have fallen foul of such tomfoolery, but just in case you are still under the spell of Fleet Street heres a handy list of 50p coins you should take to your nearest coin dealer to sell should you be fortunate enough to find them the next time you take out a mortgage to buy a Freddo (I know, they were 10p, none of us are ok with it).

2016 Jemima Puddleduck can bring £10-12 in uncirculated condition Photo courtesy of The Royal Mint

• 2009 Kew Gardens - £130+

• 2011 Olympic Aquatic Error - £1500+

• 2011 Offside Rule - £15+

• 2016 Jemima Puddleduck - £10+

• 2019 Withdrawn Brexit Date - No sales figures to date

• 2023 King Charles Salmon - £80+

2011 Olympic Aquatic 'Lines over face' 50p. Withdrawn in favour of the circulation issue which had the lines removed so the swimmers face could be seen clearly. Fine examples of this have sold at auction for over £2000 Photo courtesy of EasyLive

The 50p coin was always a way to get kids into coin collecting, and it has worked. Where coins are on the rise, stamps are on the decline. We have The Royal Mint to thank for that. This coin series was designed to be found in your change and collected as an affordable way to introduce as many people as possible, to coin collecting.

Many a coin collector began with 50p coins and built from there. They are a great area to collect provided you realise that almost all of them you find in your change are worth 50p. Please do not fall for the nonsense and spend fortunes on face value coins on the back of a newspaper article. Coin collecting ought to be fun, not something you feel conned by.

People usually have to pay a fortune for life advice like this and here you are getting it all for free!

Over and out

Paul