Published On: Sun, Feb 2nd, 2025
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Brits urged to check pockets for super rare 50p coin worth over £40k | UK | News

A coin expert has urged Brits  to check their change as your little 50p coin could be worth a whopping £42k.

Six years ago, the Royal Mint created one million special edition Brexit 50p coins. However, the special coins to mark the planned Brexit day never saw the light of day due to a manufacturing error that saw the wrong exit date from the EU, which prompted the coins to be melted down and destroyed.

It was believed all of them were destroyed – but two surviving coins have now surfaced, and are said to be worth tens of thousands of pounds.

The hunt is now on to find “Willy Wonka’s golden ticket”, as the coins have been described by experts.

Gregory Edmund, a numismatic specialist who researches coins from Spink & Son auction house, advised those with 50p coins in their spare change to check if they bear one very special sign that could make them highly valuable.

The coins bearing the date October 31, 2019, as well as the words “Peace, prosperity and friendship with all nations”, the coin could be worth £42k.

Speaking to the Telegraph, coin researcher Mr Edmund described the prospect of finding another incorrectly dated Brexit coin as a “Charlie Bucket moment discovering the numismatic ticket”.

He estimates that if the coins went up for auction, he would expect them to fetch more than £40,000.

Mr Edmund said: “Ever since the official London Gazette notice for the 2019 Brexit 50-pence has existed, I have wondered if survivors of the one million cancelled coins would one day surface.

“Given the extremely stringent security at the Royal Mint, to suddenly have two examples survive, and be available for study at the same time, is an unique opportunity.”

He has set up a hotline for people who have found another one of the rare coins to come forward by emailing brexit50p@spink.com.