In 2015, the British Royal Mint issued the Battle of Britain 50p coin to mark the 75th Anniversary of their Second World War arterial battle. So, if you have the Battle of Britain 50p coin, how much is it worth?
The Battle of Britain 1940 50p coin was designed by the renowned sculptor, Gary Breeze. The Battle of Britain 50p coin features a trio of airmen running towards their planes to counteract the enemy aircraft overhead.
Gary Breeze is famous for his commissions throughout the UK that including the Bali Bombing Memorial at Horse Guards Road, in London and the Christ Church Cloister Fountain found in Oxford, London.
There were millions of the Battle of Britain 50p coins minted. So, in reality, it is not one of the rarest 50p coins in circulation.
Battle of Britain 50 Coin Varieties
The 1940 Battle of Britain 50p coin created a stir when it was first released.
Why?
Because there are three different versions of the Battle of Britain 50p coins. There were three different ‘head’ sides made:
- Has the portrait of the Queen by Ian Rank-Broadley with no denominations
- Has the portrait of Jody Clark with no denominations
- Featured Clark’s design with the correct denomination of 50 pence
As the last version was only released into circulation, you will not find the others. The two uncirculated versions were sold in presentation packs and after their release, they fetched more than £100 with multiple coins being showcased as errors.
How rare is the 1940 Battle of Britain 50p Coin?
Considering that the Battle of Britain 50p coins have over 5.9 million minted, it is not a rare coin. Neither is it one of the most looked-for coins. In fact, according to the recent scarcity index research by Change Checker in November 2021 – the 1940 Battle of Britain 50p coins are one of the most common coins in circulation.
It is the 30th most common coin to be tracked by Change Checker – the rarest one being Kew Gardens coins. Today there are over 71 varieties of 50p coins in circulation, with 66 million being minted in 2020 itself.
So, how much is my Battle of Britain 1940 50p worth?
The Battle of Britain 50p coin uncirculated versions are worth £4-£8, while circulated coins are worth £1 to £1.50.
But that is not the only story for the Battle of Britain 50p coin. In 2019 the British Royal Mint issued a new version as a part of the set. This coin features the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Jody Clark, the denomination, and the date of issuance.
But when buying these coins online check the authenticity of the coins. There are some colored versions available, but those are fake.
Most Battle of Britain 50p coins sells for two or three times their face value. On January 23rd, one coin sold for £1.20 while on January 22nd one sold for £1.99. But, if you are trying to sell the uncirculated version, it is worth more. In 2019, a brilliant uncirculated 1940 Battle of Britain 50p coin sold for more than £500 on eBay.
According to experts, there are only 35,000 brilliant uncirculated coins in circulation. But these coins are not meant to be used as legal money, so you will not find them with your normal change.
Conclusion
The Battle of Britain 50p is mostly collected for its sentimental value and the recognition of all the fighters during World War II. The coin was created to mark the 75th anniversary of the aerial battle in World War II and holds significance for veterans more than other people.
If you do want to own the set then get ready to pay nothing less than £600-£1000 depending on the uncirculated coins. Remember to look for colorful versions that are fake. They make for fun collections but have no authentic value.
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