If you’re a coin collector or just someone interested in the history of British currency, you may be curious about the rarest British decimal coins. These coins can be difficult to come across, and they often hold significant value both in monetary and historical terms.
In this post, we’ll explore some of the rarest British decimal coins issued by The Royal Mint and discuss their history, value, and significance in the numismatic world.
Ten of the rarest British decimal coins available
In 1982, the Royal Mint switched from the “New Pence” denomination to the “Two Pence” denomination. However, a small number of 1983 coins were accidentally minted with the “New Pence” denomination. These coins are incredibly rare, with only a few known to exist. In fact, one sold at auction for over £7,000 in 2016.
In 1997, the Royal Mint introduced a new £2 coin to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the modernization of the British navy. However, a small number of these coins were minted with a “Wide Rim” around the edge, making them extremely rare. One of these coins sold at auction for over £1,000 in 2020.
To celebrate the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, the Royal Mint produced a special edition £2 coin. However, an error at the mint meant that a small number of these coins were minted with the wrong design on the reverse side. These coins are incredibly rare, with some selling at auction for over £500.
- 2009 Kew Gardens 50p Coin
The 2009 Kew Gardens 50p coin was produced to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, London. However, only 210,000 of these coins were minted, making them incredibly rare. In fact, they are so rare that they have been known to sell for over £1000 at auction.
To celebrate the 2012 London Olympics, the Royal Mint produced a series of commemorative 50p coins, each representing a different Olympic sport. However, the Olympic Aquatics coin is particularly rare, with only 600 of them ever produced. These coins have sold for over £600 at auction.
Another rare Olympic 50p coin is the Olympic Wrestling coin, with only 1,129 ever produced. This coin has been known to sell for over £500 at auction.
The Olympic Football 50p coin is another rare coin produced for the 2012 London Olympics, with only 1,125 ever produced. This coin has sold for over £400 at auction.
The Olympic Judo 50p coin is one of the rarest Olympic 50p coins, with only 1,161 ever produced. This coin has sold for over £300 at auction.
The Olympic Triathlon 50p coin is another rare Olympic 50p coin, with only 1,163 ever produced. This coin has sold for over £300 at auction.
The Olympic Tennis 50p coin is one of the rarest Olympic 50p coins, with only 1,454 ever produced. This coin has sold for over £200 at auction.
These rare British decimal coins are not only fascinating in terms of their history and design but they are worth a lot of money as you can see. Explore our website to find out more about rare British coins and how you can add to your coin collection. If you have found some rare coins in your change, see how much those coins might be worth. Use the search box to start your treasure hunt for the rarest British decimal coins today.