Why your 50p coin could be worth hundreds

CaolÃ¡n McGinley, pictured with the coin he found. DJL-170131-120057024

Empty your purse, look under the sofa and check your pockets because if you have a 50p Beatrix Potter coin it could actually be worth hundreds of pounds.

The limited edition Beatrix Potter coins were issued by Royal Mint to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the birth of Beatrix Potter in 2016 and both a plain silver proof coin and a coloured coin were introduced into circulation.

Demand for the coloured coins has skyrocketed however with the coins being auctioned for hundreds of pounds on Ebay. Some sellers have reportedly been lucky enough to sell their coloured coins for thousands online.

The limited edition coins feature the much loved characters of Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddleduck, Squirrel Nutkin and Mrs Tiggy-Winkle, plus a special 150th anniversary coin.

Considered giving it away

Caolán McGinley from Derry has been one of the lucky few to get his hands on the rare coin featuring Peter Rabbit.

“When I first got the coin, I didn’t think much of it, I was interested to why the Rabbit was on the front but didn’t pay much notice,” explained Caolán.

“I was scrolling through Twitter and came across an amazing and inspiring article about a homeless man who had been handed one of the coins that turned out to be worth so much more.

“I started to research the coin and the design and the significance of the coin and the history of Beatrix Potter and the tale of Peter Rabbit.

“I actually considered giving the coin away to a friend who’s father has the same name,” he added.

The plain silver proof Beatrix Potter coin is still available for sale on the Royal Mint website for £10, however opportunistic coin collectors are still trying to flog them on Ebay for £20.