eBay bidding war which saw 50p coin sell for £179 has people checking their change

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

A rare 50p coin has been sold for an eye-watering £179 after a competitive eBay bidding war took place. Collectors are often more than willing to pay some extra cash for rare coins, raising them way above their original value.

In this case, it is understood that the coin sold was worth around £140. The coin was issued in 2009 as part of the 250-year anniversary for Kew Gardens which opened in 1759, with the Royal Mint estimating that around 210,000 were made.

The 50p features the infamous Chinese Pagoda and the Royal Botanic Gardens on the tail side, the Liverpool Echo reports. Read more: Join the FREE Manchester Evening News WhatsApp community The online listing for the coin stated it was a "Rare 100% Genuine 2009 Kew Gardens 50p Coin In Excellent Circulated Condition" with a starting price of 99p.

Despite the cheap listing, a 28-way bidding war quickly kicked off, with the final winner forking out £179 plus £6.85 for "express delivery".