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UK Key Date Coins
Every coin in the catalogue flagged as a key date, the rarest issue in its series, the one that anchors any complete-set attempt. 139 coins, 73 with realised auction prices. As of 19 October 2026.
What is a key date? The rarest issue in a coin series, usually because of a low mintage,
a one-year design change, or a wartime production cut. Key dates carry a disproportionate share of a series’
total value and are the toughest pieces to source for a complete set. We flag them editorially against Royal Mint
mintage figures and historical scarcity data, then refresh prices nightly from realised eBay UK and auction-house
sales.
Top 6 most valuable key dates
Highest realised prices across every UK key date we track
5 Pounds - Victoria 1st portrait; 'Una and the Lion'
£319,920 PR-65
Key date
5 Pounds - George III Pattern
£200,000 VF
Key date
5 Pounds - Victoria 3rd portrait
£113,233 PR-66
Key date
5 Pounds - Victoria 2nd portrait
£105,684 PR-66
Key date
5 Pounds - George IV
£98,135 PR-64
Key date
2 Pounds - Victoria 2nd portrait
£34,725 PR-66
Key date
Gold sovereigns & half sovereigns
19 key dates
2 Pounds - Victoria 2nd portrait
£34,725 PR-66
Mintage
91,345
91,345
2 Pounds - William IV
£29,945 PR-65
Mintage
225
225
2 Pounds - Victoria 3rd portrait
£14,343 PR-66
Mintage
52,212
52,212
1 Sovereign - George VI
£9,000 PR-67
Mintage
5,501
5,501
2 Pounds - George VI
£7,100 PR-67
Mintage
5,501
5,501
½ Sovereign - Victoria 2nd portrait
£6,200 PR-66
Mintage
871,770
871,770
1 Sovereign - Victoria 2nd portrait
£5,473 PR-63
Mintage
1,111,280
1,111,280
5 Sovereigns - Elizabeth II 4th portrait; Diamond Jubilee
£4,820 PR-70
Mintage
496
496
½ Sovereign - George VI
£4,000 PR-67
Mintage
5,501
5,501
5 Sovereigns - Charles III Queen Elizabeth II Memorial
£3,925 PR-70
Mintage
661
661
5 Sovereigns - Elizabeth II Sapphire Coronation
£3,548 PR-70
Mintage
459
459
½ Sovereign - Victoria 3rd portrait
£3,248 PR-64
Mintage
4,426,625
4,426,625
2 Sovereigns - Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee
£1,800 PR-70
Mintage
119
119
1 Sovereign - Elizabeth II 5th portrait; Prince Albert Bicentenary
£800 MS-70
Mintage
647
647
1 Sovereign - Elizabeth II 5th portrait; Queen Victoria Bicentenary
£775 MS-70
Mintage
649
649
1 Sovereign - Elizabeth II 5th portrait; Sapphire Coronation
£625 PR-69
Mintage
323
323
¼ Sovereign - Elizabeth II 4th portrait; Diamond Jubilee
£365 PR-69
Mintage
137
137
1 Sovereign - Edward VII Ottawa mint
No realised price yet
Mintage
636
636
2 Pounds - George IV Shield reverse
No realised price yet
Rare 50p key dates
60 key dates
50 Pence - Elizabeth II Kew Gardens; Gold Piedfort
£6,800 PR-65
Mintage
40
40
50 Pence - Elizabeth II Kew Gardens; Gold Proof
£2,506 PR-69
Mintage
629
629
50 Pence - Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee; Gold Piedfort
£2,375 FDC
Mintage
70
70
50 Pence - Elizabeth II Kew Gardens; Gold Proof
£2,200 PR-69
Mintage
71
71
50 Pence - Elizabeth II Beatrix Potter; Gold Proof
£1,749 PR-65
Mintage
732
732
50 Pence - Elizabeth II The Gruffalo; Gold Proof
£1,639 PR-65
Mintage
599
599
50 Pence - Elizabeth II Peter Rabbit; Gold Proof
£1,600 FDC
Mintage
278
278
50 Pence - Elizabeth II Peter Rabbit; Gold Proof
£1,600 FDC
Mintage
425
425
50 Pence - Elizabeth II Paddington at the Station; Gold Proof
£1,350 FDC
Mintage
592
592
50 Pence - Elizabeth II Peter Rabbit; Gold Proof
£1,325 FDC
Mintage
561
561
50 Pence - Elizabeth II Peter Rabbit; Gold Proof
£1,300 FDC
Mintage
497
497
50 Pence - Elizabeth II The Snowman; Gold Proof
£1,150 FDC
Mintage
259
259
50 Pence - Elizabeth II XX Commonwealth Games; Gold Proof
£1,150 FDC
Mintage
346
346
50 Pence - Elizabeth II Winnie The Pooh; Gold Proof
£1,100 FDC
Mintage
151
151
50 Pence - Elizabeth II Paddington at the Tower; Gold Proof
£1,100 FDC
Mintage
596
596
50 Pence - Elizabeth II The Gruffalo and Mouse; Gold Proof
£1,100 FDC
Mintage
443
443
50 Pence - Elizabeth II Paddington at the Palace; Gold Proof
£1,100 FDC
Mintage
738
738
50 Pence - Elizabeth II The Snowman; Gold Proof
£1,100 FDC
Mintage
400
400
50 Pence - Elizabeth II NHS 50th Anniversary; Gold Proof
£1,000 FDC
Mintage
70
70
50 Pence - Elizabeth II D-Day Anniversary; Gold Proof
£950 PR-70
Mintage
75
75
50 Pence - Elizabeth II Battle of Hastings; Gold Proof
£938 FDC
Mintage
401
401
50 Pence - Elizabeth II 5th portrait; Battle of Britain Gold Proof
£830 FDC
Mintage
389
389
50 Pence - Elizabeth II Kew Gardens; Silver Piedfort
£329 PR-65
Mintage
569
569
50 Pence - Elizabeth II 4th portrait; Battle of Britain Silver Piedfort
£80 BU
Mintage
434
434
+ 36 more,
browse all in catalogue →
Rare £2 key dates
8 key dates
2 Pounds - George III Pattern
£30,196 PR-61
Mintage
60
60
2 Pounds - Elizabeth II D-Day Anniversary; Gold Proof
£1,300 BU
Mintage
558
558
2 Pounds - Elizabeth II 25th Anniversary £2; Gold Proof
£1,200 PR-65
Mintage
213
213
2 Pounds - Elizabeth II Olympic Handover; Gold Proof
£1,000 PR-65
Mintage
771
771
2 Pounds - Charles III Flying Scotsman Centenary; Gold Proof
£855 PR-65
Mintage
423
423
2 Pounds - Elizabeth II 5th portrait; 25th Anniversary £2
£13 BU
Mintage
330
330
2 Pounds - Charles III Flying Scotsman Centenary; Silver Piedfort
No realised price yet
Mintage
349
349
2 Pounds - Elizabeth II 25th Anniversary £2; Silver Piedfort
No realised price yet
Mintage
918
918
£5 crown key dates
21 key dates
5 Pounds - Victoria 1st portrait; 'Una and the Lion'
£319,920 PR-65
Mintage
400
400
5 Pounds - George III Pattern
£200,000 VF
Mintage
25
25
5 Pounds - Victoria 3rd portrait
£113,233 PR-66
Mintage
20,405
20,405
5 Pounds - Victoria 2nd portrait
£105,684 PR-66
Mintage
53,844
53,844
5 Pounds - George IV
£98,135 PR-64
Mintage
150
150
5 Pounds - George VI
£19,627 PR-66
Mintage
5,501
5,501
5 Pounds - Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee; Platinum Piedfort
£6,039 PR-70
Mintage
20
20
5 Pounds - Elizabeth II Sapphire Anniversary; Gold Proof
£5,925 VF
Mintage
475
475
5 Pounds - Elizabeth II Sapphire Jubilee; Gold Proof
£2,416 PR-70
Mintage
697
697
5 Pounds - Elizabeth II War Memorials; Gold Proof
No realised price yet
Mintage
25
25
5 Pounds - Elizabeth II War Memorials; Silver Proof
No realised price yet
Mintage
693
693
5 Pounds - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; Coronation Jubilee Gold Proof
No realised price yet
Mintage
148
148
5 Pounds - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; Coronation Jubilee Silver Piedfort
No realised price yet
Mintage
697
697
5 Pounds - Elizabeth II 2nd portrait; Coronation Jubilee Gold Proof
No realised price yet
Mintage
148
148
5 Pounds - Elizabeth II 2nd portrait; Coronation Jubilee Silver Piedfort
No realised price yet
Mintage
697
697
5 Pounds - Elizabeth II 3rd portrait; Coronation Jubilee Gold Proof
No realised price yet
Mintage
148
148
5 Pounds - Elizabeth II 3rd portrait; Coronation Jubilee Silver Piedfort
No realised price yet
Mintage
697
697
5 Pounds - Elizabeth II 4th portrait; Coronation Jubilee Gold Proof
No realised price yet
Mintage
148
148
5 Pounds - Elizabeth II 4th portrait; Coronation Jubilee Silver Piedfort
No realised price yet
Mintage
697
697
5 Pounds - Elizabeth II 60th Coronation Jubilee; Gold Proof
No realised price yet
Mintage
477
477
5 Pounds - Elizabeth II 60th Coronation Jubilee; Platinum Piedfort
No realised price yet
Mintage
106
106
Pre-decimal pennies & halfpennies
5 key dates
1 Penny - Victoria 1st portrait; bronzed
£2,869 PR-65
Mintage
300
300
1 Penny - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; with 'BRITT:OMN'
£64 PR-64
Mintage
1,308,400
1,308,400
1 Penny - George V modified effigy
£43 EF
Mintage
4,498,519
4,498,519
1 Penny - Elizabeth II Maundy pre-decimal; 2nd issue
No realised price yet
Mintage
1,088
1,088
½ Penny Warwickshire - Birmingham / Clarke's
No realised price yet
Mintage
36
36
Pre-decimal silver
10 key dates
5 Shillings - Elizabeth II British Exhibition
£9,814 PR-66
Mintage
1,024,038
1,024,038
3 Pence - George V 4th issue
£264 PR-67
Mintage
1,302,106
1,302,106
1 Shilling - George II Older bust
£160 BU
3 Pence - George VI without 'IND:IMP'
£21 PR-65
Mintage
464,000
464,000
5 Shillings - George VI Festival of Britain
£16 BU
Mintage
1,983,540
1,983,540
3 Pence - Victoria 3rd portrait; incl. Maundy
£14 VF
Mintage
3,067,243
3,067,243
3 Pence - Elizabeth II Maundy pre-decimal; 2nd issue
No realised price yet
Mintage
1,076
1,076
3 Pence - Victoria 1st portrait; incl. Maundy and Colonial
No realised price yet
Mintage
1,200,000
1,200,000
3 Pence - George III incl. Maundy
No realised price yet
6 Pence - George II Older bust
No realised price yet
Crowns and farthings
7 key dates
1 Crown - Victoria 'Gothic' type
£29,150 PR-64
Mintage
8,000
8,000
1 Crown - William IV
£24,000 FDC
Mintage
100
100
1 Crown - George V 'Wreath' Crown
£321 PR-64
Mintage
9,034
9,034
½ Crown - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; with 'BRITT:OMN'
£86 PR-67
Mintage
4,333,214
4,333,214
1 Crown - George V Silver Jubilee; Gold Proof Pattern
No realised price yet
Mintage
30
30
½ Crown - George II Older bust
No realised price yet
1 Crown - George II Older bust
No realised price yet
Other key dates
9 key dates
1 Guinea - George III Pattern
£26,500 PR-63
Mintage
5
5
1 Guinea - George III Pattern
£1,669 MS-62
1 Guinea - George III Pattern
£635 VF
2 Pence - Elizabeth II Maundy pre-decimal; 2nd issue
£53 VF
Mintage
1,020
1,020
4 Pence - Elizabeth II Maundy pre-decimal; 2nd issue
No realised price yet
Mintage
1,050
1,050
4 Pence - George III Maundy issues
No realised price yet
Mintage
1,386
1,386
2 Pence - George III incl. Maundy
No realised price yet
4 Pence - George III incl. Maundy
No realised price yet
2 Guineas - George II Pattern
No realised price yet
Mintage
10
10
Related
More browse indexes
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Top 100 by realised auction price.
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Every series A–Z with coin counts.
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Every minting year with catalogue coverage.
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The flagship rare-coin ranking guide.