Does the King Charles 50p have a date and how much is it worth?
COINS featuring the King’s image first started entering circulation back in December 2022.
The King Charles III: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II piece was issued in 2022 and the first 50p coin to feature Charles’ face.
Almost five million coins, with the reverse side showing the design of the 1953 coronation crown, were put into general circulation at the time.
The new coin design featuring the King came with two big differences.
Firstly, the Monarch is not wearing a crown.
That’s because Kings are not often depicted wearing a crown on coins – whereas Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II had one.
The second major difference is that the King’s face is pointing in the opposite direction to the late Queen’s.
He’s facing left – whereas the Queen was pointing to the right.
On the new 50p, there is a Latin inscription which translates to: “King Charles III, by the Grace of God, Defender of the Faith”.
On the reverse side of the coin is the same design that appeared on the 1953 crown struck to commemorate her late Majesty’s coronation on June 2, 1953.
A crown is at the centre of four Royal Arms, which are in a crucifix arrangement.
Thistle, rose, leek and shamrock are seen in between, and this design was created by the painter Edgar Fuller.
But some Brits have been left stumped and asked coin experts whether their 50p coins are missing a date.
Does the King Charles 50p have a date?
One coin expert has recently responded to questions about a supposed undated King Charles 50p.
It comes after several Brits claimed that they found error versions of the coin that don’t feature a “2022” date.
But one TikTok user has moved to put these rumours to bed.
Explaining the most common question he receives on his channel, user @UKCoinHunt said in a recent video how the supposed error coin doesn’t actually exist, as the 50ps do feature a date.
He explained: “How much are the undated King Charles 50ps worth?
“Let me tell you now. Absolutely nothing. Because it does actually have a date.
“I see this question all the time. A lot of people don’t realise this coin actually has a date on.”
He goes on to explain how you can find the 2022 date on the reverse side of the coin at the bottom.
If you are looking at the side with King Charles’ face on, that means you need to flip it.
UKCoinHunt said he had received 15 questions on one of his previous TikTok videos about the supposed error coin.
“They all do have dates,” he added. “If they didn’t then they would be worth something, for sure.”
How much is it worth?
Rare coins and bank notes can fetch hundreds and sometimes thousands of pounds.
n most cases, it’s because they have a low mintage figure – the amount struck and put into circulation.
But “error” coins, which have been struck incorrectly during the manufacturing process, also sell for hefty sums.
There’s usually only a handful of them in general circulation making them extremely rare.
However, given that the 50p coin has a relatively high circulation figure, which will balloon to 9.6million as demand increases, the coin won’t be worth all that much for now.
Coins with similar mintage figures can sell for between £1.14 and £1.36, according to Joe Trewick at The Coin Expert.
However, it remains unclear as to whether the coin’s value could grow in the long-term given that it’s the first of its kind to feature an effigy of King Charles III.
How to check if a coin is valuable
In most cases, a coin is valuable if a low amount were struck and put into circulation – known as its mintage figure.
Generally, the lower a coin’s mintage figure, the more you will be able to sell it for in auction, on eBay or Facebook Marketplace.
But this isn’t always the case and some coins have been known to sell for more than others despite more having been put into circulation.
Remember too, that a rare coin is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it on the day.
You can find out what a coin’s mintage figure is by going on The Royal Mint’s website.
Meanwhile, some coins are also considered rare when there was a mistake in the manufacturing process.
These are commonly known as “error” coins, and there’s usually just a few in circulation.
But bag one of these and you could earn up to £1,000.
How to sell a rare coin
When it comes to selling a rare coin, you have three main options – eBay, Facebook Marketplace or auction.
If you’re selling through Facebook, be wary of the risks.
Fraudsters have contacted sellers in the past saying they want to buy a rare coin and ask for money upfront for a courier to collect it.
But the items are never picked up, leaving sellers out of pocket.
To stop this happening, it’s worth meeting the buyer in person and in a public meeting spot that’s well-lit.
If you’re selling through eBay, you’ll have to start by registering for an account and then listing a product.
Make sure you’ve got good pictures and mention the condition of the coin to avoid leaving buyers disappointed.
Bear in mind though, the safest way to sell a rare coin will more than likely be through auction.
You can organise doing this via The Royal Mint’s Collectors Service, which has a team of experts who can authenticate and value a coin.
Get in touch with them via email and a member of its valuation team will get back to you.
Do bear in mind you will be charged for the service though. How much depends on the size of your collection.