The 50-penny coin in the United Kingdom is, if not the UK’s most collected circulating coin, certainly among the most in demand.

“The 50 pence is Britain’s most collectable coin and provides the ideal canvas for commemorative designs — with more than 50 different versions released into circulation since 1969,” according to the Royal Mint.

The Royal Mint on Sept. 14 posted the mintage figures for the calendar year of 2020, providing the official guide to the rarest coins in circulation. 

In 2020, more than 330 million coins were released into circulation, including new 50 pence designs commemorating Diversity Built Britain and the UK’s Withdrawal from the European Union.

Ten million of each design were released into circulation, making them widely accessible.

On the other side of that equation is the famous 2009 Kew Gardens 50-penny coin, which remains the most coveted coin in circulation, listed with a mintage of just 210,000 pieces.

Other rare designs include the 2011 Olympic “50p’s” and the highly collectible Peter Rabbit series.

The Royal Mint’s Director of UK Currency, Mark Loveridge, said, in a press release: “Coin collecting remains a popular hobby in the UK, and finding a special design in your change adds to the excitement. If you are lucky enough to find a commemorative 50 pence you can find more information about its history, design and mintage on our website.”

The mintage page at the Royal Mint’s website is www.royalmint.com/currency/uk-currency/mintages/.

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