An expert has shared details of the 2009 Kew Gardens 50p which could be worth up to £150
05:00, 04 Jan 2026Updated 09:21, 04 Jan 2026
Brits have been urged to keep an eye out for a coin in circulation that could be worth as much as £150. This piece from 2009 is known as the “second rarest” 50p currently in use in the UK.
In a post made to social media platform X, an expert known as the Coin Collecting Wizard, explained more. He shared a picture of a coin featuring an image from Kew Gardens in London.
He said: “Kew Gardens 50p - a true change checker’s dream. The Kew Gardens 50p is the second rarest 50p coin still found in circulation, which makes it one of the most exciting coins to spot in your change.”
According to him, this piece could be worth £150. He continued on his Facebook page: “With its famous pagoda design, it’s a favourite among collectors and not an easy find at all. If you’re lucky enough to come across one, it can be worth around £150, depending on condition
“A great reminder that checking your change really can pay off - you never know what’s hiding in your pocket! Have you found one yet…or still searching?”
The coin bears an image of the gardens' renowned Chinese pagoda on its reverse side (the tail side), and Queen Elizabeth II on its obverse (the head side).
On its website the Royal Mint said collectors "go crazy" for the Kew Gardens 50p. It said: "If you were to ask collectors which coin got them started, the chances are it was the 50p.
"Over the years, the coin has been issued in a huge range of commemorative editions celebrating every aspect of British culture, from athletes to authors. The sheer variety has sparked a collecting craze but of all the 50p coins, the Kew Gardens 50p is arguably the most sought-after.
"Nothing gets people excited quite like this original 2009 design. Just 210,000 were released into circulation and with almost all of them in private hands, the chances of coming across one in your change are slim."
Explaining more about the design of the coin, it said: “The venerable institution depicted on the Kew Gardens 50p coin is the nation’s most famous royal botanical garden. The reverse design, created by Christopher Le Brun RA, features the famous Chinese Pagoda at Kew with a decorative leafy climber twining in and around the tower.
“Demand for the 50p denomination was not high at the time of release into circulation which explains the low mintage of this particular design.”
However, in 2023, the Kew Gardens coin lost its status as the UK's rarest 50p coin to the new Atlantic salmon design, commemorating King Charles III's ascension to the throne.