A SIMPLE 50p coin could be worth hundreds of pounds if it features an unusual design produced for the 2012 London Olympics.
Unlike the common tails-side designs, this coin has a cartoon high-jumper, drawn by a nine-year-old ahead of the Games.
The Blue Peters 50p has been sold on eBay for 432 times its usual value[/caption]
Now, people are unearthing the rare coin – known as the Blue Peter 50p – and one has just been sold on eBay for a whopping £216.55.
The lucky lister received 26 bids on the coin and made the final sale on September 14th.
The cartoon was drawn by schoolgirl Florence Jackson in 2009 for a competition run by popular kids TV show Blue Peter.
It features a high jumper bending backwards over a pole, with a surprised look on its face.
Florence’s drawing was selected out of 17,000 entries, and she became the youngest person to ever design a coin.
Over 2.2 million of the Blue Peter 50p coins were issued, with most most minted in 2011.
In Change Checker’s most recent scarcity index (dated August 2024), the coin is ranked 26th in the table of 50p coins, with 25 scarcity index points.
This is an improvement on its ranking in 2022, suggesting the coin is increasing in value.
However, this eBay-listed coin was minted in 2009, making it part of an even rarer bunch.
These earlier coins have fetched as much as £286 online.
The recent selling price of £216.55 is the highest in a while, with a similar listing going for £142 with only six bids last month.
The value of the coin varies according to its condition, as well as the condition and rarity of its packaging.
The Blue Peter 50p was part of a wider initiative to introduce new coins in celebration of the 2012 Olympics.
As well as the high jumper cartoon, the other 29 coins produced for the Games feature judo, triathlon, football and tennis.
They differ hugely in value, with one erroneous swimming-themed coin worth up to £1500.
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