Look out for rare 50p coin worth '100 times its face value'

Look Out for Rare 50p Coin Worth 100 Times Its Value

An expert has urged people in the UK to check their change for a rare 50p coin that could be worth around £50 — about one hundred times its face value.

The coin, released in 2017 to commemorate Sir Isaac Newton, had a limited mintage of 1.8 million pieces. It quickly became a favorite among collectors, and the Royal Mint even offered a “strike your own Isaac Newton 50p” experience the following year.

The Error That Makes It Valuable

According to a specialist known online as the Coin Collecting Wizard, a rare minting fault can significantly increase the coin’s value. The error involves extra lines appearing across Queen Elizabeth II’s face on the obverse side of the coin.

“This 50p could have an error making it valuable,” the expert explained.
“The Sir Isaac Newton 50p is one of the most popular 50ps in circulation shortly after it was issued in 2017. What you are looking for is for the obverse to have several extra lines across Queen Elizabeth’s portrait. If your coin has these lines, then congratulations, you have found it.”

Technical Cause Behind the Fault

The expert believes the lines resulted from a minting issue known as a die clash — when two dies strike each other without a coin between them. He clarified that the raised lines are not scratches but small ridges formed during this process.

“Interestingly, the extra lines aren’t grooves scratched into the surface of the coin, but rather whiskers standing slightly proud of the surface,” he said.
Summary

This unusual coin, if bearing the die clash marks, could reward its finder with a value far exceeding its original fifty pence.

Author’s summary: A rare 2017 Sir Isaac Newton 50p coin with a minting fault can fetch up to £50 due to unique raised lines caused by a die clash error.

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Daily Record Daily Record — 2025-11-07

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