What are the rarest coins in circulation with Queen Elizabeth II?
- Kew Gardens 50p and Alphabet 10p coins are coins to look out for
- A 50p Kew Gardens coin can fetch up to £168 on eBay
The 2009 Kew Gardens 50p and a collection of 10p alphabet coins from 2018 and 2019 are among the rarest coins in circulation featuring the late Queen, the Royal Mint has revealed.
It says 2022 marked one of the biggest changes to the currency since decimalization, when we transitioned from the reign of Queen Elizabeth II to King Charles III.
We look at the rarest coins in circulation during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II and how much they could be worth…
Coveted: The Royal Mint has released a list of the rarest coins minted during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, including the legendary 2009 Kew Gardens 50p coin
2019 Alphabet AZ 10p coins
This is a special set of AZ ten pence coins in honor of Great Britain, ranging from the Angel of the North to Zebra Crossings minted in 2019.
The letters Y, W and Z each had a low circulation of 63,000, the letter R had a circulation of 64,000, while the rest of the letters had a circulation of 84,000.
The coins are rare. The different designs appeal to many: Bond fans, tea lovers or NHS workers to name a few.
On Ebay, the R, W, Y and Z coins regularly fetch £6 pounds each – a return of 5,900 per cent. While a full set of 2019 AZ coins worth a total of £2.60 could sell for around £215 – a return of 8,170 per cent.
R, W, Y and Z coins top the Change Checker scarcity index.
R for rare: with a mintage of just 84,000, the ‘R’ Robin 10p coin is one of the most coveted 10p coins and tops Change Checker’s scarcity index
1992 Internal Market 50p
This 50 cent coin was minted to celebrate the British Presidency of the European Council of Ministers and the completion of the Single Market.
Only 109,000 were minted, the lowest number of 50p coins put into circulation.
They are no longer in circulation as they are the heavier, old style 50p coins.
On Ebay, the coins can sell for up to £40, according to Change Checker’s Ebay index.
Twice a year, Change Checker takes the top ten coins and banknotes and calculates their average selling price on the secondary market.
Only 109,999 50p single market coins were minted in 1992, the lowest number of 50p coins put into circulation
2009 Kew Gardens 50p
The much-famed Kew Gardens 50p is one of the rarest coins in circulation due to its scarcity in circulation and as a commemorative coin.
With only 210,000 coins minted in 2009, these coins can sell for over £150 and as such the majority have been withdrawn from circulation and into the hands of collectors.
The coin is ranked number one in Change Checker’s 50p scarcity index.
Change Checker’s Ebay index estimates the value of this coin at £148. This is down from £167 in January 2023.
Recently, a gold-proof version of the Kew Gardens 50p coin sold for £6,800 in an online auction of 343 rare coins from the Royal Mint.
The rarest and most coveted coin is the Kew Gardens 50 cent coin, of which 210,000 were minted in 2009. On Ebay they can sell for over £150.
Royal Navy of the First World War 2015 £2
These coins pay tribute to the Royal Navy during World War II. They have a circulation of 650,000.
On Ebay, the uncirculated coins you find in your pocket can be sold for up to £5. Coins that are defective or off in some way always receive a premium and some of these £2 coins have a flag error due to the condition of the die when the coins were struck.
It is not known how many of the coins have this flag error, but they are certainly the most sought after and can fetch up to £15 on Ebay.
Some of these coins contain a flag error due to the way they were struck. Coins with this error can be sold for up to £50
Britannia 2015 £2
This £2 coin could fetch up to £10 on eBay according to Change Checker’s eBay index.
The coins are the first £2 coins in circulation with Britannia and 650,000 were minted in 2015.
It ranks 14th on Change Checkers’ £2 scarcity index and is branded as ‘less common’.
Antony Dufort’s modern interpretation of Britannia was introduced on Britain’s highest denomination coin in 2015.
Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland 2002 £2
This is the rarest £2 coin according to Change Checker and can sell for up to £68 according to the Ebay index.
For the 2002 Commonwealth Games, held in Manchester, new £2 coins were minted to celebrate each home country.
Only 485,500 Northern Irish coins were minted, making this the most coveted coin. Today, this coin tops Change Checker’s scarcity index due to its incredibly low mintage.
The 2002 Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games £2 coin is the rarest £2 coin and can sell for as much as £68