People urged to check their 50ps as rare coin sells for £2,500

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

A rare 50p coin was sold for thousands of pounds this month - and there are hundreds more of them still in circulation. Britannia Coin Company sold the ‘lines over face’ 50p coin made to celebrate the 2012 London Olympics to an anonymous collector for £2,500.

People have now been urged to given their coins 'a quick once-over' before using them The aquatics-themed 50p was one of 29 different commemorative coins issued by The Royal Mint in 2011, with each coin paying tribute to a different Olympic sport.

However, only 600 of the ‘lines over face’ 50p coins are believed to have been issued before the design was suddenly changed.

It is regarded as the rarest cupro-nickel 50p in existence and easily the most valuable. The coin was still sealed in its original Royal Mint presentation card, with the plastic covering protecting the coin’s brilliant uncirculated finish. Read more:Annual energy bills to top £7,000 by spring next year, forecast predicts after latest price cap announcement Jon White, Director of www.britanniacoincompany.com, explained: “The ‘lines over face’ 50p is easily the most valuable cupro-nickel coin that exists, and will make a sterling addition to this buyer’s collection.