Reader questions: Are special edition coins of extra value?
Is my grandson correct in his enthusiasm about possessing a 2017 50p with Peter Rabbit on it?
“Is my grandson correct in his enthusiasm about possessing a 2017 50p with Peter Rabbit on it?” writes John B.
Coins can be fun to collect. But like all collectables, keep them for their interest, not their value.
There are reports that a 2016 (not 2017) Peter Rabbit 50p coin was sold for hundreds of pounds. And there are some 2017 Peter Rabbit 50ps on sale — but not bought — for even more; eBay is not the most reliable guide to what something is worth.
A coin’s value is only what another collector will pay for it at the time.
As a pre-decimal teenage bus conductor, I used to rummage through my bag looking for a 1933 penny of which, we were told, only six were made.
That was not quite correct, but one example did turn up in 2016 and fetched £72,000.
The Royal Mint likes to tempt us with special coins at very special prices.
Several — from D-Day to Sherlock Holmes — are due out in 2019. All such coins are minted in the millions. The only guarantee is that they are worth their face value.
Email your questions to paul.lewis@radiotimes.com