Exclusive:
The silver 2009 Kew Gardens 50p coin, featuring the Royal Botanical Gardens’ Great Pagoda, tend to be valued at around £250 – but a rare gold version is worth much more
Turns out there’s an even more sought-after version of the iconic 2009 Kew Gardens coin. The silver 50 Pence Piece is a must-have for any coin collector, and can fetch hundreds of pounds in online auctions.
Featuring the Great Pagoda, located at the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew, encircled with a vine and the word ‘Kew’ at the base – the coin is also marked by the dates 1759 and 2009. Designed by engraver Christopher Le Brun, the other side of the coin is a portrait of the late Queen Elizabeth II. Made from Base Metal Alloy, 210,000 minted Kew Gardens were released to the public – meaning your odds of finding one in your loose change isn’t too unlikely. But, coming across an ultra-rare gold version will be a much more challenging feat.
James Constantinou is a leading expert in pre-loved designer goods and owner of Prestige Pawn. He runs eight pawn shops across the country which buy and sell exclusive luxury goods – including rare coins.
Speaking exclusively to the Mirror, he said: “Of course, it would be amazing to find something like the George V coin or an 1839 Victoria gold proof pattern 5-pound coin which famously sold for £1 million in 2020, however you may be more likely to find something like a Kew Gardens 250th-anniversary coin. Whilst most are valued around the £250 mark, there is a rare gold variant that is valued around £7,000.”
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The gold version of the Kew Gardens 50p is a ‘proof’ coin, meaning it has been designed specifically for collectors rather than for public use. Their worth is therefore usually a lot higher than the value of the metal they’re made from. It is widely reported that only 1,000 gold Kew Gardens proof coins were minted back in 2009, and only 629 were snapped up by the public. Bullion By Post, a gold dealer based in Birmingham, advertises the proofs starting price as £6,106, although it currently has none in stock.
“You may also find a double-dated 1992-1993 coin which had an extremely low mintage of only 109,000 and is valued at about £60,” James added. “Its tails were designed by Mary Milner Dickens and feature 12 chairs around a conference table representing the Council of Ministers at the European Economic Community. With the UK placed at the head of the table. It is called the dual date or double dated due to the two dates featured on the coin.”
Have you found a rare coin? Email liam.gilliver@reachplc.com for a chance to share your story
