These are the rarest 50p coins currently in circulation - and how valuable they are

The 50p coin, which first entered circulation on October 14, 1969, is considered to be the most collectable in Britain, according to the Royal Mint.

Most recently, a commemorative coin was circulated bearing the image of King Charles III. Roughly 4.9m of these coins were released, which will eventually rise to 9.6m.

But it is the 2009 Kew Gardens 50p design which remains the nation's rarest coin, with just 210,000 created.

Mintage figures from 2020 show the Olympic football design is the second rarest 50p coin in circulation, with 1,125,500 produced. On average, these coins have sold for £156.25 on eBay – but one seller managed to flog their coin for more than £700.

It is followed by the 2011 Olympic wrestling design, of which 1,129,500 were created.

There were two new 50p coins that minted in 2020 - the Withdrawal from the European Union 50p and the Diversity In Britain 50p. Based upon mintage numbers, these rank 61st and 62nd respectively among the rarest 50p coins.

The Royal Mint said one of the most ‘significant’ 50p coins released into circulation in 2018 commemorated the 100th anniversary of The Representation of the People Act.

The coin, which depicts key beneficiaries of the act including a woman holding her ballot, a soldier and a suffragette, was produced nine million times.

Every coin in circulation is struck at the Royal Mint's facility, based in Llantrisant, South Wales.

SEE ALSO: Two rate £2 coins sell for £3,500 on eBay

The Royal Mint said the 50p coin replaced the ten-shilling note and was entered into circulation in readiness for the decimal switchover of Britain's currency.

The rarest 50p designs in circulation, with their mintage figures, are:

Kew Gardens 50p – 210,000

Football Olympic Games – 1,125,500

Wrestling Olympic Games – 1,129,500

Judo Olympic Games – 1,161,500

Triathlon Olympic Games – 1,163,500

Flopsy Bunny Beatrix Potter 50p – 1,400,000

Tennis Olympic Games – 1,454,000

Goalball Olympic Games – 1,615,500

Shooting Olympic Games – 1,656,500

Taekwondo Olympic Games – 1,664,000

Handball Olympic Games – 1,676,500

Modern Pentathlon Olympic Games – 1,689,500

Mrs Tittlemouse Beatrix Potter – 1,700,000

Rowing Olympic Games – 1,717,300

Gymnastics Olympic Games – 1,720,813

Table Tennis Olympic Games – 1,737,500

Basketball Olympic Games – 1,748,000

Sailing Olympic Games – 1,749,500

Wheelchair Rugby Olympic Games – 1,765,500

Hockey Olympic Games – 1,773,500

Sir Isaac Newton 50p – 1,801,500

Weightlifting Olympic Games – 1,879,500

Cycling Olympic Games – 2,090,500

Jemima Puddle-Duck Beatrix Potter 50p – 2,100,000

Fencing Olympic Games – 2,115,500

Badminton Olympic Games – 2,133,500

Volleyball Olympic Games – 2,133,500

Equestrian Olympic Games – 2,142,500

Boxing Olympic Games – 2,148,500

Boccia Olympic Games – 2,166,000

Canoeing Olympic Games – 2,166,500

Aquatics Olympic Games – 2,179,000

Athletics Olympic Games – 2,224,000

Suffragettes 50p – 3,124,030

Archery Olympic Games – 3,345,500

WWF 50p – 3,400,000

Tailor of Gloucester Beatrix Potter – 3,900,000

King Charles III – 4,900,000

Squirrel Nutkin 50p Beatrix Potter – 5,000,000

NHS 50p – 5,001,000

Paddington at the Station – 5,001,000

EU 50p – 5,043,000

Benjamin Britten 50p – 5,300,000

Battle of Britain - 5th Portrait 50p – 5,900,000

Paddington at the Palace – 5,901,000

Team GB 50p – 6,400,000

Glasgow 2014 – 6,500,000

Battle of Hastings 50p – 6,700,000

Beatrix Potter Portrait 50p – 6,900,000

Christopher Ironside 50p – 7,000,000

Girl Guiding 50p – 7,410,090

Scouting Movement 50p – 7,710,750

Sherlock Holmes 50p – 8,602,000

Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle Beatrix Potter 50p – 8,800,000

Representation of the People – 9,000,000

Paddington at St Paul’s Cathedral – 9,001,000

Paddington at the Tower – 9,001,000

Roger Bannister 50p – 9,032,500

Tom Kitten Beatrix Potter 50p – 9,500,000

Jeremy Fisher Beatrix Potter 50p – 9,900,000

VC - heroic acts – 10,000,500

Withdrawal from the European Union 50p – 10,001,000

Diversity 50p – 10,300,000

Public Libraries Act 50p – 11,263,000

VC - award – 12,087,000