With just over three months until the start of the Olympic Games in Paris in July, coin collectors will be on the lookout for the latest Olympic 50p commemorative coin issued by the Royal Mint.
The 50p coin, it says, will “celebrate and wish Team GB and Paralympic GB athletes the best of luck at the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”
The coins depict two runners, one Olympic and one Paralympic, but will not enter general circulation.
Record year: 2011 was by far the largest number of 50p coin designs issued by the Royal Mint, with 29 Olympic designs alone.
If you want to get your hands on one of these limited pieces, it will currently set you back £69 as part of the annual coin set.
On the other hand, as the countdown to the Paris games begins, you may find yourself remembering the large number of Olympic commemorative coins that were issued in 2011, before the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Unlike the new Paris currency, all 29 different Olympic 50p designs were put into circulation for the London Games.
This puts 2011 comfortably in first place for the year with the highest number of 50p coin issues, 31 to be exact, with a WWF coin also entering circulation and another design minted only for “uncirculated brilliant” series.
The only year that comes close is 2019, which saw 21 50p coins issued for the 50th anniversary of the 50p piece itself.
Commemorative: The Paris 2024 Olympic coin, bottom right, will not enter circulation and is only available as part of the Royal Mint’s annual set of collectible coins.
Are the 2012 Olympic coins worth anything?
With over 52 million Olympic coins minted before the 2012 games, it’s not that these coins are a rarity; Even now, they appear on a handful of coins from time to time.
However, it is estimated that 75 percent of these coins, or 39 million, have been removed from circulation by collectors, so they are becoming less common.
Depending on its rarity, which is based on the number of coins that entered circulation, getting an Olympic 50p could still fetch a pretty penny, and collectors are willing to pay well above the coin’s face value for the right piece.
Retired: The original aquatic designs show waves passing over a swimmer’s face, but were removed to give a clearer image.
The least rare Olympic coin, which has an archery design and of which more than 3 million copies were issued in 2011, will sell for around £2.50, says the Britannia Coin Company.
At the other end of the spectrum, however, the football coin, which has a design explaining the offside rule, could fetch up to £22.95 on eBay, or £22 according to Britannia Coin Company.
Rare: Of the Olympic coins in circulation, the football design entered circulation the least.
Change Checker ranks the football coin, of which only 1.1 million were circulated, 82nd on its scarcity index, classifying it as “very scarce” and making it the most sought-after Olympic coin. In comparison, the archery coin is classified as “less common” with only 17 on the scarcity index.
Among the rarest models are wrestling, judo, triathlon and tennis, of which less than 1.5 million copies were minted and are worth around £11, £15, £15 and £4.50 respectively.
Blue Peter: 19,722 athletics 50p coins were minted in 2009
Less rare coins, such as athletics, canoeing and water sports coins, cost around £3 for athletics and canoeing, and £2.50 for aquatic coins.
However, where you can make real money is with coins that are not part of general circulation. And if you get your hands on one, you could win a tidy sum.
One of these coins is shaped like an earlier version of the Olympic 50p aquatic design, showing water passing over the swimmer’s face. This design was removed from circulation and modified to show the swimmers’ faces more clearly.
For those who managed to get their hands on one of these coins before they were withdrawn, they could sell it for up to £1,000 according to Change Checker.
The first coin designed for the London Olympics could also set you back a whopping £275. The model in question, designed for athletics, depicts a high jumper drawn by Florence Jackson, 8, from Bristol, as part of a Blue Peter competition.
While there are up to 2.2 million versions of this coin issued in 2011, only 19,722 coins were issued with the year 2009 stamped on the obverse.
Coins were also released for the Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo Olympic Games, but only the Rio coin entered circulation. Unfortunately, the design will only sell for around £2.
While there’s little chance of landing a 50p prize for the Paris Olympics unless you’re willing to part with a chunk of cash, it might be worth finally getting money out of your piggy bank ahead of the Olympics. this year to see if he can take advantage of it. the coinage.
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