Olympic 50p coins that are worth more than others

There are lots of commemorative coins in the UK. The 50p, in particular, lends itself well to different designs because of its size. Certain collections are available, and, within those collections, some coins may hold a greater value than others.

Here will look into the London 2012 Olympic 50p coin collection. Keep reading to find out more about which Olympic coins are worth more than others.

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Olympic 50p coins overview

The London Olympics of 2012 was a momentous and historic occasion. It was a record-breaking third time that London had hosted the Summer Games. Two previous Olympic tournaments were held in London in 1908 and 1948.

Considerable amounts of money were invested into the city’s infrastructure to support the games and the influx of visitors.

In the 2012 games, team GB achieved their best medal haul in over a century, including 29 gold medals, 17 silver, and 19 bronze. This led to a third-place finish overall.

In preparation for the games, the Royal Mint released the Olympic collection of 50p coins in 2011. There were 29 new coins in total, each depicting a different Olympic sport.

Each coin had a different designer. Only Natasha Ratcliffe (handball and wheelchair rugby) and Jonathan Olliffe (aquatics and gymnastics) had the honour of designing two coins each.

The collection was available to the general public with varying circulations for each coin. As a result, some coins are more sought-after by collectors than others.

Some collectors would aim to collect the full set. Others might focus on the more valuable coins. Collector sites and online auction sites such as eBay offer varying prices for different coins.

The following section will cover the most valuable Olympic coins. We have also included a full guide of what values to expect if you want to sell your collection.

The Olympic 50p coins that are worth the most

The rarest Olympic coins include:

Football
Wrestling
Judo
Triathlon
Tennis

Each of these had a circulation of less than 1.5 million. The rarity of a coin will always increase its value.

The type of coin will also have a bearing on its monetary worth. Circulated coins have a lower value than a ‘Brilliant Uncirculated’ (BU) coin. There is no difference between the coins themselves, but a BU coin can only be purchased directly from a mint. It may be the same age as a circulated coin, but retains the pristine condition of a brand new one.

You might have heard the term ‘mint condition’. This relates to something in perfect condition that was made with no flaws. BU coins should retain this quality.

Let’s look at some examples:

The Olympic Football coin depicts the offside rule. The average value of a circulated coin will be somewhere around the £13 mark. A BU Olympic Football coin is valued more highly, at around £25.

An Olympic Judo coin that has been circulated is typically valued at around £10. A BU Judo coin might fetch closer to £15.

Olympic Wrestling 50p coins are worth around £8 for circulated coins and £12 for BU.

There is one other coin that is far and away the most valuable: the withdrawn Aquatics 50p. Regular Aquatics coins will reach around £2 in value for circulated coins and £5 for BU.

However, a rare early adaption that shows the waves on the coin passing over the swimmer’s face exists.

It is believed that between 600 and 2000 of this rare coin were ever released.

The rarity of this coin means the value is far higher than others. These prized collective items have previously been sold for several hundred pounds.

Check out other rarest 50p coins you could have in your change.

Olympic 50p coins circulation and estimated value

Aquatics

Circulated:
- Amount: 2,179,000
- Value: £2
Brilliant Uncirculated:
- Amount: 157,990
- Value: £5

Archery

Circulated:
- Amount: 3,345,500
- Value: £1
Brilliant Uncirculated:
- Amount: 140,195
- Value: £4

Athletics

Circulated:
- Amount: 2,224,000
- Value: £2
Brilliant Uncirculated:
- Amount: 168,498
- Value: £4

Badminton

Circulated:
- Amount: 2,133,500
- Value: £1.50
Brilliant Uncirculated:
- Amount: 124,237
- Value: £3.50

Basketball

Circulated:
- Amount: 1,748,000
- Value: £2
Brilliant Uncirculated:
- Amount: 137,157
- Value: £6

Boccia

Circulated:
- Amount: 2,166,000
- Value: £2
Brilliant Uncirculated:
- Amount: 126,662
  - Value: £4

Boxing

Circulated:
- Amount: 2,148,500
- Value: £1.50
Brilliant Uncirculated:
- Amount: 142,151
- Value: £3.50

Canoeing

Circulated:
- Amount: 2,166,500
- Value: £1.50
Brilliant Uncirculated:
- Amount: 116,114
- Value: £4.50

Cycling

Circulated:
- Amount: 2,090,500
- Value: £1.50
Brilliant Uncirculated
- Amount: 156,872
- Value: £4.50

Equestrian

Circulated:
- Amount: 2,142,500
- Value: £1.50
Brilliant Uncirculated:
- Amount: 145,122
- Value: £6

Fencing

Circulated:
- Amount: 2,115,500
- Value: £1.50
Brilliant Uncirculated:
- Amount: 130,815
- Value: £5

Football

Circulated:
- Amount: 1,125,500
- Value: £13
Brilliant Uncirculated:
- Amount: 188,262
- Value: £25

Goalball

Circulated:
- Amount: 1,615,500
- Value: £2.75
Brilliant Uncirculated:
- Amount: 114,334
- Value: £5

Gymnastics

Circulated:
- Amount: 1,720,813
- Value: £2
Brilliant Uncirculated:
- Amount: 145,895
- Value: £5

Handball

Circulated:
- Amount: 1,676,500
- Value: £2
Brilliant Uncirculated:
- Amount: 117,566
- Value: £5.50

Hockey

Circulated:
- Amount: 1,773,500
- Value: £2.50
Brilliant Uncirculated:
- Amount: 130,813
- Value: £4

Judo

Circulated:
- Amount: 1,161,500
- Value: £10
Brilliant Uncirculated:
- Amount: 128,442
- Value: £15

Modern Pentathlon

Circulated:
- Amount: 1,689,500
- Value: £2
Brilliant Uncirculated:
- Amount: 123,357
- Value: £5

Rowing

Circulated:
- Amount: 1,717,300
- Value: £2
Brilliant Uncirculated:
- Amount: 140,977
- Value: £4.50

Sailing

Circulated:
- Amount: 1,749,500
- Value: £2.25
Brilliant Uncirculated:
- Amount: 138,535
- Value: £4.50

Shooting

Circulated:
- Amount: 1,656,500
- Value: £2.50
Brilliant Uncirculated:
- Amount: 125,398
- Value: £6.50

Table Tennis

Circulated:
- Amount: 1,737,500
- Value: £2.25
Brilliant Uncirculated:
- Amount: 123,195
- Value: £4.50

Taekwondo

Circulated:
- Amount: 1,664,000
- Value: £2
Brilliant Uncirculated:
- Amount: 120,210
- Value: £6

Tennis

Circulated:
- Amount: 1,454,000
- Value: £2.50
Brilliant Uncirculated:
- Amount: 144,535
- Value: £4.50

Triathlon

Circulated:
- Amount: 1,163,500
- Value: £10
Brilliant Uncirculated:
- Amount: 146,354
- Value: £15

Volleyball

Circulated:
- Amount: 2,133,500
- Value: £1.50
Brilliant Uncirculated:
- Amount: 124,115
- Value: £4.50

Weightlifting

Circulated:
- Amount: 1,879,500
- Value: £2
Brilliant Uncirculated:
- Amount: 121,778
- Value: £4.50

Wheelchair Rugby

Circulated:
- Amount: 1,765,500
- Value: £2
Brilliant Uncirculated:
- Amount: 121,175
- Value: £4

Wrestling

Circulated:
- Amount: 1,129,500
- Value: £8
Brilliant Uncirculated:
- Amount: 127,279
- Value: £12

Olympic 50p coin specifications

Year of release

2011

Size

27.3mm in diameter

Weight

Material

Cupro-nickel

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Naomi Willis

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Naomi knows the burden of living on very little and became debt free by following her own money saving tips and tricks. She is an expert on saving money at the supermarket and side hustles.