COINING IT IN
Britain’s ‘rarest’ Peter Rabbit 50p coin goes into circulation – and it could be worth £840
FOUR hundred 2019 Peter Rabbit 50p coins have been released into circulation making it possibly "Britain's rarest coin".
And what's more, the Beatrix Potter design could be worth hundreds of pounds if one ends up in your pocket.
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The coins were released as commemorative ones earlier this year and are not being officially released into circulation by the Royal Mint.
The coins are still on sale on the coin makers' website for £10 each but even though they're commemorative, they're still legal tender.
Shops and banks technically don't have to accept them but if you do spend it, they're worth face value, so you'll be losing out on £9.50 if you bought yours from the Royal mint at full price.
A group of coin enthusiasts called is behind the stunt, which will see scores of volunteers spend hundreds of them in coffee shops, parking metres and vending machines.
Is your small change worth a fortune?
IF you think that you might have a rare coin then you might be able to make a real mint.
The most valuable coins are usually those with a low mintage or an error.
These are often deemed the most valuable by collectors.
You should check how much the coin is selling for on eBay.
Search the full name of the coin, select the "sold" listing and then toggle the search to "highest value".
It will give you an idea of the amount of money that the coin is going for.
You can either choose to sell the coin on eBay or through a specialist like ChangeChecker.org.
If you choose the auction website then remember to set a minimum price that is higher or at the very least equal to the face value of the coin.
Even if your coin “sells” on eBay for a high price there’s no guarantee that the buyer will cough up.
It its terms and conditions, the auction website states that bidders enter a “legally binding contract to purchase an item”, but there’s no way to enforce this rule in reality.
The most eBay can do is add a note to their account for the unpaid item or remove their ability to bid and buy.
A smallest batch of 50ps released by the Royal Mint is 210,000 of the Kew Gardens design, making it officially the rarest and can fetch up to £385 on eBay.
In comparison, this batch of Peter Rabbit coins are even rarer, and the chances of it turning up in your change are super slim.
But if it does, it could be worth a fortune to a trader online.
A Peter Rabbit coin minted back in 2016 sold for £840 at auction this time last year - meaning this latest version could be sold for a similar amount.
Of course, the coin isn't guaranteed to sell for as much as it all depends on how much someone is willing to pay for it.
The Royal Mint has released a different coin featuring Beatrix Potter's most popular children's character every year since 2016.
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There are currently only three designs officially in circulation.
The 2019 design features Peter sat upright, clutching his handkerchief in one paw and the other held up to his mouth.
It also has the year it was minted stamped on it.
There is an unlimited supply of the cheapest "brilliant uncirculated" versions of the coins available to buy from the Royal Mint.
Peter Rabbit 50p collection
THE Royal Mint has released a Peter Rabbit coin every year since 2016, each one with a different design. Here's how to tell the difference:
2016
This was the first design to be released by the Mint to mark 150 years since the birth of Beatrix Potter.
It features Peter Rabbit from the chest upwards with his paws holding onto the lapels of his waistcoat.
It reads "Peter Rabbit" on he front, while the date is stamped on the side with the Queen's head on it.
The Mint made 15,000 commemorative versions of this coin - figures on how many went into circulation haven't been released yet.
One sold for as much as £840 in eBay.
2017
The second coin released is engraved with the mischievous character walking away, facing the right.
"The Tale of Peter Rabbit" is inscribed along the edges and the date is on the "heads" side of the coin.
You can't buy these from the Royal Mint any more, although a number were released into circulation so one could crop up in your change.
2018
The third coin shows Peter Rabbit nibbling on some carrots.
You can still buy commemoratively packaged versions of these coins from the Royal Mint for £10.
These were also released into circulation although it's not clear how many.
2019
Only commemorative version of this coin have been officially released.
On this one, Peter is looking directly outwards, clutching a napkin in one hand and his lapel with the other.
They cost £10 from the Royal Mint, and although they're legal tender, shops don't have to accept them.
A group of coin enthusiasts released 400 of them into circulation themselves meaning one could turn up in your change.
Because it was an unofficial launch, these figures won't be counted by the Mint, meaning that the Kew Gardens 50p coin is still the rarest in circulation.
Thirty thousand coloured "silver proof" versions were also made but they will set you back £65, while the "gold proof" costs £795. There are only 500 of these.
If you do find one of these coins crop up in your change and you're thinking about selling it through a coin dealer, at auction or in eBay.
The Royal Mint told The Sun it has no plans to release the coins into circulation themselves.
Rarest coins and valuable notes
It said: "These coins are brilliant uncirculated editions which means they won't enter circulation, and are intended as gifts and collectables.
"Occasionally brilliant uncirculated coins end up in change, but they do not count towards official circulating figures."
Coins that are in a perfect condition aren't always the most valuable. Here, we've put together a round up of the rarest and most valuable error coins.
Royal Mint release new Beatrix Potter Peter Rabbit 50p coin
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