'Extremely rare' 50p coin most people ignore in their change selling for £140

It's considered to beone of the rarest coins in circulation - but many people have no idea about its value and end up spending it on a small snack. The salmon 50p coin was unveiled by The Royal Mint in October 2023 as part of a suite of eight new designs set to be rolled out across the nation.

One month later, in November 2023, it entered circulation and started to appear in people's change - but many just ignored it and spent it rather than storing it away. A statement on Copes Coins reads: "Collectors predicted a low mintage for the 2023 Atlantic Salmon 50p coin, and we can confirm it is even rarer than the beloved 2009 Kew Gardens 50p coin. The 2023 Atlantic Salmon 50p coin has a mintage of 200,000, the lowest mintage of a circulating 50p coin and we expect many collectors will now turn their attention to securing this coin as part of their collections."

Officially known as the 2023 Atlantic Salmon Definitive 50p Circulated Coin, the coin shows a salmon on the right pointing into the coin with a patterned '50 pence' on the left.

The Atlantic salmon is a priority conservation species as wild populations are low due to river pollution, habitat loss, river heating and overfishing.

The fish can be found in very clean rivers in Scotland and Wales along with those in North and South West England.

On Cope Coins, it'll set you back £139.99 to get your hands on this collectable coin in mint condition.

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However, coins with marks and scraps may earn you less, with some selling on eBay for £125, £80 and even around £15, due to their 'well-circulated' condition.

Speaking about the coin on TikTok back in 2024, Dans Dollars said: "It's the rarest ever coin in the UK. We said it was going to be rare but we did not think it was going to be this rare.

"It's got the Atlantic salmon on the back and the portrait of king Charles on the front. The question is, 'How much will this coin reach?' This coin will be selling for over £150."

Commenting on his post, one heartbroken user said: "I had that before but I spent it." Another user added: "I might have to sell my ones, I'm so skint."

A third user said: "I give all my King Charles coins away." One more user said: "Fabulous, I have a Kew and a Salmon."

A final user said: "Wow. Price of that. No wonder the post office women won't give anyone bags of change."