Modern coins popular in Britain

Interest in new issues is alive and well in the United Kingdom. The Kew Gardens 50p is worth about $65.

Can you imagine purchasing a coin from a dealer, then having the dealer contact you to see if you would be willing to sell it back to him for a lot more money soon afterward?

Hattons of London is actually asking collectors if they would be willing to part with either of two 2018 coins issued in June, the coin dealer being quite willing to pay a substantial premium for either. The coins are the Lancaster Bomber £50 gold sovereign and the Queen’s Coronation Sapphire Jubilee £50 gold sovereign, coins with a mintage of 19 and 26, respectively.

Several London newspapers were valuing the coins at £13,000 (about U.S. $17,050) each at the time this article was being written.

The Lancaster Bomber coins were issued to mark the 100th anniversary of the Royal Air Force as part of the Defense of the Skies collection. The 0.916 fine gold coin features a Lancaster bomber and full-color Union Jack flag on the reverse. The coins sold out within a week.

The diminutive jubilee coin mintage represents the queen’s age at the time she was crowned. The coins sold out within three days of their issuance.

Hatton’s spokesman Simon Mellinger said, “It’s clear that coin collecting is as popular as ever in the UK, from people trying to find a rare Peter Rabbit 50 pence in their change to the more serious collector who wants to own one of our £50 sovereigns.”

Hatton continued, “The collections we release tend to capture the mood of the nation, whether it’s a great royal occasion or a special national anniversary, and we’re incredibly proud of them. It’s great to see that numismatists – or coin collectors – also appreciate them, too.”

The Peter Rabbit 50-pence coin of which Hatton spoke is a 2016 issue on which the facing portrait of the famous rabbit appears on the reverse. The coin has sold on eBay for £1,000 and perhaps more elsewhere.

There are a number of recently released British coins that command significant premiums. Among them are:

• 2011 Cardiff Capital £1, estimated value of £3 (about U.S. $3.90)
• 2003 Suffragette 50 pence, estimated value of £3
• 2003 DNA £2, estimate value of £3
• 2012 Offside London Olympics 50 pence, estimated value £3
• 2012 Triathlon London Olympics 50 pence, estimated value £3
• 2011 London Capital £1, estimated value £4 (about U.S. $5.25)
• 2011 Edinburgh Capital £1, estimated value £5 (about $6.50)
• 2011 500th Anniversary Mary Rose (maiden voyage) £2, estimated value £6 (about $7.80)
• 2014 Trinity House £2, estimated value £6
• 2005 Guy Fawkes Pemember £2 spelling error, estimated value £16 (about $21)
• 2016 Peter Rabbit 50 pence, estimated value £20 (about $26 US)
• 2002 Commonwealth Northern Ireland £2, estimated value £20
• 1992 & 1993 EC [European Council] 50 pence, estimated value £20 each
• 2013 silver £20, estimated value £35 (about $46)
• 2012 London Olympic 50-pence coin set (29 coins), estimated value £35
• 2009 Kew Gardens 50 pence, estimated value £50 (about $65)
• Dateless 2008 20 pence mule, estimated value £100 (about $131)
• 2011 World Wildlife Fund 50 pence, estimated value £100
• 2015 Big Ben £100, estimated value £150 (about $196)
• 1983 New Pence 2 pence, estimated value £650 (about $852)
• 2015 nickel-plated steel 2 pence off-metal error, estimated value £1,400 (about $1,835)
• 2012 First Face variety Swimmer Olympic 50 pence, estimated value £3,000 (about $3,930)