Reference
Guides
160 guides covering every UK coin denomination, famous rarities, themed series, monarchs and grading. Search across all guides or jump to a category below.
⭐ The reference
Coin Grading Guide
Sheldon 1-70 scale, UK descriptive grades, the full UK ↔ US crossover, a five-step grading technique, and the twelve most-asked grading questions. The manual every collector needs before putting a value on a coin.
Famous coins & rarities
33 guidesSpecific coins everyone has heard of: Kew Gardens, Atlantic Salmon, the 1933 penny, the Olympic Football 50p, the 1983 New Pence error.
Rare UK Coins List (Top 25)
The 25 most valuable modern UK coins ranked, with prices and identifying features.
Rare 50p Coins UK (Top 25)
The definitive top-25 ranking of rare UK 50p coins, from the 2023 Atlantic Salmon to the Olympic Football, with verified mintages and realised prices.
Rare £2 Coins UK (Top 15)
The definitive top-15 ranking of rare bimetallic £2 coins by mintage.
1933 Penny Value
Britain's most famous modern rarity — fewer than 10 in existence. Auction history, ownership record, fake-spotting.
Kew Gardens 50p Value
Britain's most famous modern 50p: 2009 Pagoda, mintage 210,000, authentication, realised auction prices.
2009 Kew Gardens 50p (value-focused)
Mintage 210,000, £100-280 circulated, £3,000+ gold proof. Authentication and where to sell.
Atlantic Salmon 50p Value
The 2023 Charles III 50p that overtook Kew Gardens as the rarest in circulation. Privy mark, mintage and prices.
1992-93 EU Presidency 50p
The lowest-mintage UK 50p ever (109,000) — twelve-chair design, prices, authentication.
1983 "New Pence" 2p Error
The most-famous Royal Mint mule — wrong reverse legend, £500-£2,500+ realised, how to spot and authenticate.
1971 50p Value
How much is a 1971 50p worth? Decimal Day inaugural fifty-pence: mintage 188 million, BU and silver-proof variants.
2008 Undated 20p Mule
The 2008 obverse-reverse mule with no date on either side: identification, mintage, current realised £50-£250+.
Olympic Football 50p
The rarest of the 29 London 2012 Olympic 50ps: 1,125,500 minted, the offside-rule diagram.
Brexit 50p Value
£1-3 circulated, £55-90 silver proof, the 2019-dated rarity that escaped melting (£5,000+).
WWF 50p Value UK
The 2011 Wildlife Conservation 50p: real eBay prices £1.50-3, mintage 3.4M (16× more common than Kew Gardens), why TikTok overhypes it.
2002 Commonwealth Games £2
The rarest circulating £2: Northern Ireland 485,500, all four nation prices, set values.
1973 EEC 50p Value
Britain's first commemorative 50p — 1973 European Economic Community accession, designer Christopher Ironside, mintage 89.8 million.
2017 New 12-Sided £1
The 12-sided pound launched 28 March 2017 by 15-year-old designer David Pearce. Round £1 demonetisation, anti-counterfeit features, realised prices.
2023 Coronation 50p
Charles III's first commemorative 50p: St Edward's Crown design, all 4 variants, current realised prices.
Cheap Rare UK Coins Under £50
Twelve genuinely collectable rare British coins you can pick up under £50.
Is My 50p Rare?
The 5-step check for any UK 50p: year, design, mintage, authenticity, where to sell.
Is My £2 Rare?
The 4-step check for any UK £2: bimetallic vs single-metal, design, mintage, edge inscription. 2002 Commonwealth Games NI £2 is the rarest at 485,500.
Is My £1 Rare?
The 3-step check for round and 12-sided £1: format, design, mintage. The 2011 City of Edinburgh round £1 (935,000) is the rarest UK £1 ever.
Sherlock Holmes 50p Value
2019 issue, mintage 8.6m, designer Stephen Raw, marking Conan Doyle's 160th. Realised prices, fakes, and where to sell.
Stephen Hawking 50p Value
2019 Royal Mint black hole 50p by Edwina Ellis. BU £10-18, silver proof £55-110, gold proof £1,100-1,800 (mintage 400). Never circulated.
I Found a Rare Coin: What To Do
Step-by-step UK guide to a rare coin find: identify, authenticate, value, decide.
1952 Penny Value UK
George VI's death-year penny: post-Indian-independence FIDEI DEF legend, single-figure surviving population, comparison vs 1950 and 1951.
Victorian Penny Value UK
Bun Head 1860-1894 vs Old Head 1895-1901: key dates (1869, 1882-no-H, 1895 dot/no-dot), varieties and realised auction prices.
1965 Churchill Crown Value
Sir Winston Churchill memorial cupronickel crown — first British coin to depict a non-royal subject. Mintage 19.6M, realised prices and authentication.
1981 Royal Wedding Crown Value
Charles + Diana wedding crown 29 July 1981. Three formats: cupronickel circulation, sterling silver proof, gold proof £100.
Princess Diana Coin Value UK
1999 Memorial £5 crown by Mark Richards. BU £15-45, silver proof £40-90, Piedfort £150-280, gold proof £5,000-6,500. The four formats explained.
1947: UK Silver Debasement
The year British silver coinage went cupronickel. Shilling/florin/sixpence/threepence/half crown after 1946 contain no silver.
1920 Silver Transition UK
Sterling 92.5% silver dropped to .500 alloy in 1920. The pre-1920 vs 1920+ premium gap explained, with realised prices.
2022 Charles III Memorial Coinage
The first Charles III issues — QEII memorial 50p, £5 crown, sovereign. Mintages, realised prices, authentication.
Start here — beginner guides
4 guidesNew to coin collecting? Start with how to begin, what to buy first, common myths to avoid and how the 50p / sovereign / commemorative markets actually work.
How to Start a Coin Collection (UK)
A 2026 beginner's guide: pick a focus, kit, where to find coins, storage, authentication and budget tiers from £100 to £1,000.
First Coin to Buy: Buyer's Guide
Specific first-coin recommendations across five budget tiers (under £20 to £200-500). Pitfalls to avoid and verification checklist.
Coin Collecting Myths 2026
Twelve persistent myths debunked: cleaning, mint marks, slabbing, Westminster Collection. With realised-price evidence.
First-Year-of-Reign Coins Myth
When first-year coins ARE rare (Edward VIII, Charles III memorial) vs when they aren't (1953 Coronation, 1838 Victoria).
Denomination guides
20 guidesEvery UK denomination, decimal and pre-decimal — 1p through £5, sovereigns, half sovereigns and the historical guinea.
1p Coin Values UK
Bronze vs steel, magnet test, silver proofs, 2024 zero-mintage milestone.
2p Coin Values UK
The 1983 "New Pence" error, pre-decimal rarities, what every 2p is worth.
5p Coin Values UK
Large vs small format, silver proofs, 2012 nickel-plated steel switch.
10p Coin Values UK
The full Great British Coin Hunt A-Z list with mintage numbers and the rarest letters.
20p Coin Values UK
The 2008 undated 20p mule story and how to identify one of the most famous UK error coins.
£1 Coin Values UK
Old round £1 vs the new 12-sided coin: identify rarities and know which to exchange.
Capital Cities £1 Set
2010-2011 London/Belfast/Cardiff/Edinburgh — the rarest round £1 ever (Edinburgh 935,000).
£2 Coin Values UK
Complete guide to bimetallic £2 coin values, from the rare Commonwealth Games NI to Olympic Handover.
£5 Coin Values UK
Commemorative crowns 1990-onwards: cupronickel, silver proof, silver Piedfort, gold proof.
Crown Coin Values UK
Commemorative crown prices from Queen Victoria through to the Platinum Jubilee.
Half Crown Values UK
Sterling pre-1920, .500 silver wartime, cupronickel post-1947. Key dates and silver content.
Florin Values UK
Two-shilling silver florin 1849-1970: Godless and Gothic, key dates, silver content.
Shilling Values UK
Pre-decimal shilling 1816-1970: English and Scottish reverses, 1905 key date, authentication.
Sixpence Values UK
Lucky-sixpence wedding tradition, silver vs cupronickel, key dates, demonetised 1980.
Threepence Values UK
Both threepence types: silver 1551-1944 and the 12-sided brass thrupenny bit 1937-1967.
Halfpenny Values UK
Pre-decimal halfpenny 1672-1969: copper to bronze, Britannia and Drake's ship reverses.
Farthing Values UK
Quarter-penny farthing 1672-1956: Britannia and wren reverses, the famous 1714 Anne.
Gold Sovereign Values
Price history for gold sovereigns from George III to Charles III, plus buying and selling advice.
Half Sovereign Values UK
Gold content, branch mints (S/M/P/SA), bullion premium, CGT exemption.
Guinea Coin Value UK
How much is a guinea worth today? Both the £1.05 currency phrase and the physical 1663-1813 gold coin.
Themed commemorative series
20 guidesOlympic, Beatrix Potter, Harry Potter, Paddington, Music Legends, Queen’s Beasts, Tudor Beasts, James Bond and more.
London 2012 Olympic 50p
All 29 London 2012 Olympic 50ps ranked by rarity: Wrestling, Football Offside Rule, Judo and more.
Peter Rabbit 50p Series
All 13 Beatrix Potter 50ps from 2016-2018, with mintages and values.
Beatrix Potter 50p
Programmatic per-character pages for all 9 Beatrix Potter characters.
Harry Potter 50p Guide
Every Harry Potter 50p 2022-2024: Hogwarts, Hedwig, Dumbledore, silver-proof variants.
Paddington 50p Guide
All six Paddington 50ps: Station, Palace, St Paul's, Tower of London and Platinum Jubilee.
Snowman 50p Series
The Royal Mint annual Christmas 50p since 2018: every year, designer, format and realised price.
Winnie the Pooh 50p Series
8 characters 2020-2024 — Winnie, Piglet, Tigger, Eeyore and more. All formats.
Music Legends £5 Series
Every Royal Mint Music Legends £5: Queen, Bowie, Iron Maiden, Lennon, Beatles.
Mr Men £5 Coin Value
Royal Mint Mr Men & Little Miss 50th anniversary £5 crown series. BU £13-22, colour £18-32, silver £45-75, gold proof £1,200-1,800.
Queen's Beasts Coin Series
10-coin programme + Completer Coin, all metals (silver, gold, Piedfort, proof).
Tudor Beasts Coin Series
Queen's Beasts successor, 2022- programme — Seymour Panther, Yale of Beaufort, Lion, Royal Dragon.
Dinosauria 50p Series
Megalosaurus, Iguanodon, Hylaeosaurus, Stegosaurus and more. NHM partnership designs.
James Bond Coins UK
2020-2026 series: 50p/£2/£5, Aston Martin DB5, villains. Strongest pop-culture performer.
WWII Commemorative Coins
1994 D-Day through 2024 D-Day 80th, full timeline of Royal Mint WWII commemoratives.
WW1 Centennial Coins (2014-2018)
The Royal Mint First World War centennial programme: outbreak £2, navy £2, army £2, air force £2, armistice £2 plus 2014 Britannia 50p.
Shakespeare £2 Trilogy 2016
400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death: three £2 coins (histories / comedies / tragedies). Mintages, designers, realised prices by format.
Britannia Bullion £2 Guide
The annual 1oz fine silver £2 series: live silver melt, year-by-year mintages, CGT-free status.
Best £2 Coins to Buy
The 10 most collectable £2 coins: Commonwealth Games NI, Newton, Magna Carta, Britannia bullion.
Royal Mint Lunar Series Guide
The 12-coin Chinese-zodiac cycle: Cycle 1 2014-2025, Cycle 2 from 2026. Mintages, formats and realised auction prices.
James Bond vs Music Legends
Two flagship pop-culture Royal Mint series compared: structure, secondary-market growth and format-by-format winners.
By monarch
8 guidesReign-by-reign coinage value guides from Queen Victoria through King Charles III.
Victoria Coins Value Guide
64 years of Queen Victoria's coinage: Young Head, Jubilee, Old Head portraits.
Edward VII Coins Value Guide
1902-1910 reign, De Saulles portrait, 1902 matt proof set, 1905 half crown.
George V Coins Value Guide
1910-1936 coinage: 1933 penny, 1932 florin key date, 1925 Wreath threepence, 1920 silver transition.
Edward VIII Coins Guide
The abdication-era coinage: UK 1937 patterns at £30,000+, accessible Empire issues.
George VI Coins Value Guide
1936-1952 reign: 1947 silver debasement, 1949 IND IMP drop, 1950/1951 penny rarities.
Elizabeth II Coins Value Guide
70 years, 5 portraits (Gillick/Machin/Maklouf/Rank-Broadley/Clark), pre-decimal + decimal eras.
Charles III Coin Guide
Every Charles III coin: 2022 memorial 50p, Coinage Portrait definitives, 2023 Coronation.
Elizabeth II Pre-Decimal Coins
1953-1971: Coronation crown, Mary Gillick portrait, decimal-day transition. Key dates and realised prices.
Bullion & investment
25 guidesGold sovereigns, Britannias, mint marks, CGT-exempt coins and tax-efficient gold/silver investing.
How to Buy Gold Sovereigns
Where to buy in the UK: Royal Mint, dealers, eBay, auctions. Authentication, premiums, scams.
Sovereigns vs Britannias
Side-by-side comparison of the two CGT-exempt UK gold coins: gold content, premiums, sizes.
Sovereign Mint Marks Guide
S/M/P/I/SA/C branch mints, premium tiers, key dates (1908 C, 1918 I, 1872 M).
Victorian Sovereign Values
Three portraits (Young Head, Jubilee, Veiled Head), shield-back vs St George, branch mints.
Pistrucci St George Sovereign
200+ years of the iconic St George reverse design, 1817 spear vs 1820 sword.
How to Spot a Fake Sovereign
Six tests: weight, diameter, magnet, edge, specific gravity, sound. Plated vs cast vs tungsten-core fakes.
Sovereign Weight & Specifications
7.988g, 22.05mm, 22-carat — specs unchanged since 1817. Quarter through quintuple.
1989 500th Anniversary Sovereign
Tudor reverse, mintage 22,000 proof — strongest-performing modern UK sovereign.
Quintuple Sovereign £5
1.177 oz pure 22-carat gold in a 36mm coin — the largest standard UK sovereign.
Sovereign vs Krugerrand
CGT-exempt UK sovereigns vs international-liquid Krugerrands — the UK-investor decision matrix.
George V Sovereign Values
Mackennal portrait, all branch mints (S/M/P/I/SA/C), 1918 Bombay only year, 1925 London restrike controversy.
Edward VII Sovereign Values
De Saulles portrait, 1902 matt proof set, 1908 C Ottawa proof (mintage 636 — rarest modern UK sovereign).
Charles III Sovereign Values
Martin Jennings portrait, 2023 Royal Arms reverse (one-year-only), 2024+ Pistrucci return, Coronation Piedfort.
Elizabeth II Sovereign Values
Five portraits 1953-2022, 1989 anniversary, Diamond Jubilee, year-of-birth sovereigns.
Is a Sovereign a Good Investment?
Historical performance vs FTSE, portfolio allocation guidance, crisis-hedge analysis. The decision framework.
1817 First Modern Sovereign
Pistrucci's spear-version St George, the Great Recoinage 1816 origin, mintage 3.2M.
Shield-Back Sovereign
1825-1874 royal-arms reverse, George IV / William IV / Victoria Young Head, 1860/59 mule rarity.
Sovereign as Gift UK
Wedding, christening, milestone-birthday gifting tradition. IHT, year-of-birth sovereigns, presentation packaging.
CGT-Exempt Coins UK
Which UK coins are exempt from Capital Gains Tax. Sovereigns, Britannias, legal-tender commemoratives.
Junk Silver UK Coins
Pre-1947 British silver by weight: live melt calculator, premium over melt, where to buy bulk.
Pre-1947 vs Post-1947 Silver
92.5% sterling vs 50% wartime alloy vs cupronickel. The value gap and how to identify.
Best UK Coin Investments 2026
Eight UK coin investments worth holding: realised prices, where to buy, tax treatment.
Best 50p Coins to Invest In (2026)
Investment-ranking lens for 50ps: top 10 most investable, 50ps to avoid, 5- and 10-year price track record.
Best Royal Mint Coins 2026
Investment-lens picks for the 2026 Royal Mint calendar: Tudor Beasts, sovereigns, Lunar Year of the Horse and more.
Coin Gifts UK
Best coin gifts for collectors and beginners: Royal Mint sets, themed 50ps, sovereigns, year-of-birth.
Errors & authentication
6 guidesMules, edge inscription faults, undated coins and how to spot a counterfeit before you buy.
UK Coin Errors List
Every notable British minting mistake: 1983 New Pence 2p, 2008 undated 20p, inverted effigies.
£2 Edge Inscription Errors
Orientation errors, missing inscriptions, and wrong-edge errors on the bimetallic £2.
How to Spot Fake British Coins
The 5-test framework: weight, diameter, edge, magnet and surface inspection.
How to Spot a Fake £1 Coin
Six quick checks to identify a counterfeit 12-sided £1: hologram, weight, edge milling.
How to Authenticate a Coin
Six home checks to verify a UK coin: weight, dimensions, edge, magnetism, visual detail.
Dual-Date / Mule Errors UK
Mules explained: 1983 New Pence 2p, 2008 undated 20p, why mules happen. How to identify a real error vs damage.
Grading & care
8 guidesSheldon scale, PCGS / NGC / CGS comparison, slabbing decisions, cleaning warnings, storage methods.
How to Grade a Coin
The Sheldon 1-70 scale, with full UK (Fine/VF/EF/UNC/FDC) to US (MS-60 to MS-70) crossover.
How to Get a Coin Graded UK
Step-by-step PCGS, NGC and CGS UK submission guide: fees, turnaround, decision logic.
PCGS vs NGC vs CGS UK
The three coin-grading services compared: fees, turnaround, when to slab, best for British coins.
Slabbed vs Raw Coins UK
When the slab pays for itself — and when the grading fee exceeds the value uplift.
How to Clean a Coin (Don't)
Why cleaning destroys 30-70% of value, vinegar warning, the one acceptable handling.
Coin Storage UK
Albums, capsules, slabs and the PVC-damage rule. Storage tier matched to coin value.
Albums vs Capsules vs Slabs
Three storage formats compared: cost, protection, display value, and when to use each.
Should I Grade My Coins? (UK)
Decision framework: when grading pays back the fee, when it doesn't. Probate, insurance and auction triggers.
Selling, valuing & insurance
10 guidesWhere to sell at every value bracket, auction-house commissions, insurance documentation, inherited collections.
How to Sell a Gold Sovereign UK
Bullion dealers, auction houses, eBay. Realistic net prices after fees. CGT-exempt, no banks.
Where to Sell Rare Coins UK
Best venue for every value bracket: eBay vs auction vs dealer. Commission and net-return comparison.
eBay vs Auction House UK
When to use each: under £100 → eBay; £200-500 crossover; £500+ → specialist auction.
eBay Sold Listings: Coin Value
Use eBay UK sold-listings data to find the real market price of any British coin. Filters, red flags, and when eBay isn't the right reference.
UK Auction House Comparison
Spink, Baldwin's, London Coins, NumisBids and Onebid compared: live realised data, commissions.
UK Coin Value Checker
How to find out what your coin is worth: identifying, grading and valuing British coins.
Coin Collection Insurance UK
How to value, document and insure a UK coin collection. Home insurance limits, specialist insurers.
Inherited a Coin Collection UK
Step-by-step: don't clean, sort by tier, when to use eBay vs auction house, tax position.
Where to Buy Rare Coins UK
BNTA dealers, Royal Mint, auction houses, eBay, coin fairs — channel comparison with red flags and step-by-step first purchase.
Probate Coin Valuation UK
How HMRC values coins in an estate. BNTA-registered valuers, IHT, CGT exemption, DIY-vs-pro decision tree.
Reference & glossary
25 guidesPre-decimal, terminology glossary, what makes a coin rare, decade-by-decade browse, upcoming Royal Mint releases.
Pre-Decimal Coins Guide
Britain's old money: farthing to crown, 15 February 1971 decimalisation, conversion rates.
Pre-1816 British Coins Guide
Hammered + early milled coinage before the Great Recoinage of 1816. Tudor, Stuart and Georgian-pre-1816 types, mintages and realised auction prices.
Isle of Man Coins Guide
IoM Crown Dependency coinage: Christmas 50p (1980+, world's first Christmas coin), angel half-sovereigns, modern Tower Mint issues.
Channel Islands Coins Guide
Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney and Sark coinage explained. Liberation 1945 commemoratives, Pobjoy issues, legal tender status in mainland UK.
Scottish Coin Mintmarks
Pre-1707 Scottish coinage mintmarks (E Edinburgh, B Berwick, A Aberdeen) and modern Scottish-themed UK commemoratives.
Specific Gravity Test (Gold Coins)
How to verify a gold coin at home: kitchen scale, water, thread. Formula, tolerances, what SG does and doesn't catch.
Coin Collecting Glossary
Every numismatic term: BU, UNC, FDC, proof, troy ounce, fineness, mintmark, key date.
What Makes a Coin Rare?
The 5 factors: mintage, survival, condition, demand, errors. How rarity scoring works.
Are My Old Coins Worth Anything?
Plain-English decision tree for identifying valuable UK old coins.
UK Coins by Decade
Browse every UK coin by decade: 1900s through 2020s. Mintage, designer, realised prices.
2026 Royal Mint Releases
Every UK coin announced for 2026: Royal Zoological Society £2, QEII centenary £5, sovereign and Britannia.
Upcoming UK Coins
Confirmed 2026 issues plus the British anniversary watchlist through 2030.
Royal Mint Subscription Review
Honest review of Royal Mint subscriptions: Coin Hunter, Reserve, Premium tiers.
Westminster vs Bradford Exchange
Westminster Collection, Bradford Exchange, Pobjoy: legit but NOT the Royal Mint.
Royal Maundy Money Guide
Silver penny, twopence, threepence and fourpence given by the monarch on Maundy Thursday. Every monarch since Charles II, mintages and realised values.
How to Read a Coin Date
Where the date sits on UK coins (pre-2008 obverse, post-2008 reverse), Roman numerals on crowns, what to do with worn or illegible dates.
BU vs UNC vs Proof
The five non-circulated grades explained: Uncirculated, Brilliant Uncirculated, Proof, Specimen, FDC. Royal Mint terminology and how PCGS/NGC mapping works.
What Does Proof Mean (Coins)
A proof coin is a special striking, not a grade. Mirror fields, frosted devices, polished dies — the full definition with visual recognition tips.
What Does FDC Mean (Coins)
Fleur-de-Coin explained: where the term comes from, when it commands a premium, how UK auction houses use it differently from PCGS/NGC.
Trial of the Pyx
The annual ceremony that has tested UK coinage since 1282 — Goldsmiths' Company assay, modern process, collector relevance.
Hammer vs Realised Price
Why MyCoinage uses realised prices not hammer prices. Buyer's premium, VAT, worked example.
BU Pack vs Proof Set
Royal Mint annual products compared: Brilliant Uncirculated pack vs Sterling Silver Proof set vs Premium Proof.
Royal Mint History
1100 years of the Royal Mint: Tower of London, Tower Hill, Llantrisant. Master of the Mint, Chief Engravers, the Royal Mint Experience.
Coin Ring Test Explained
How to authenticate silver and gold coins by sound. Includes HowTo step-by-step.
Coin Display Ideas UK
Albums, capsules, slabs, framing, bezels, lighting and humidity. UK collector-grade display options across price tiers.
Why MyCoinage price data?
Every price we publish comes from realised sales: eBay UK sold-listings scraped via eBay UK, auction-house results from Spink, Baldwin's, Noonans, and PCGS. We never publish asking prices or estimates. See our methodology.
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