Households across the UK are being urged to check their loose change after a single 50p coin sold for a staggering £483.63 in an online auction. The sale price represents a huge 967 times its original face value.
The Record-Breaking Sale
The coin in question is the Roger Bannister 50p, minted in 2004. It was sold on eBay in December 2024, just ahead of the Christmas period. The winning bidder paid the substantial sum of £483.63, plus an additional £3.42 for postage, to secure the highly collectible piece.
The listing described the coin as a 'highly sought after' and 'prized possession' for collectors. Although it was ungraded and uncertified, its historical significance drove the remarkable final price.
Honouring a Sporting Legend
The coin was created to mark the 50th anniversary of a defining moment in British sporting history. On 6 May 1954, 25-year-old medical student Sir Roger Bannister achieved the seemingly impossible by running a mile in under four minutes.
His record time of three minutes and 59.4 seconds was set at the Iffley Road track in Oxford, watched by around 3,000 spectators. The coin's design, by James Butler, cleverly features a pair of running legs alongside a clock face to commemorate this iconic achievement.
Is The Coin Still in Circulation?
This specific coin that sold for hundreds was from the original 2004 mintage. It is this version that entered general circulation and could theoretically still be found in your change today, making the hunt so exciting for many.
A commemorative version was reissued in 2019 as part of the 50th anniversary of the 50p coin celebrations. However, it is crucial to note that this 2019 edition did not enter general circulation and was only available as a collector's item.
The extraordinary sale has undoubtedly sparked fresh interest in numismatics, with many people now likely to be sifting through their coin jars and checking every 50p they receive. The story highlights how ordinary pocket change can sometimes hold extraordinary hidden value.
