Royal Mint rarest 50p coins and UK's most valuable stamps

While stamp and coin collecting may be seen by many as an outdated, there are a number of collectibles that can make a pretty penny for their owners.

A spokesperson for NetVoucherCodes.co.uk said: “Coins and stamps are probably some of the more obscure objects to collect nowadays, but it can still be a lucrative hobby.

“Most often it’s commemorative pieces or varieties with errors or misprints that become so heavily sought after, purely because they’re so rare.

“In other cases, it’s a set of coins or stamps that were the first of their kind, or perhaps varieties that were never officially released into circulation, but were only produced as prototypes.

“The stamps and coins we’ve listed here are some of the rarest and therefore the most valuable UK varieties, but there are plenty of others that will still fetch a substantial profit if you happen to have one hidden away somewhere.”

Which stamps are the most valuable?

Stamps from the Victorian era are some of the most valuable, with certain varieties worth as much as £21,000.

Most valuable UK stamps

• 1. Penny Black – potential value: £348,000

The British Penny Black is coveted among stamp collectors.

Run-of-the-mill Penny Black stamps could be had for around £40, but the most sought-after are much more expensive, even as much as £45,000.

In June 2011, a Penny Black from the first registration sheets created in 1840 sold for around £348,000 ($560,000).

• 2. Plate 77 Penny Red – potential value: £550,000

A rare version of this particular design sold for a colossal price in 2012 - £550,000!

Around two billion of the Penny Reds were printed for issue, but arguably the most valuable are those printed from plate 77.

The test sheets of the Penny Red from plate 77 contained imperfections but despite this, several from the batch made it into circulation.

It’s been confirmed that four mint conditions of the stamps and five used versions are the only ones in existence.

• 3. Roses Error Stamp – potential value: £130,000

These stamps were produced in 1978 and due to an error, the 13p postage price failed to get printed on the stamp.

What was 13p is now worth a staggering £130,000 as there are only three of them in the world – although the Queen is said to own to two of them and a private collector the third, so it’s unlikely you’ll get ever your hands on this particular rare stamp.

What makes a coin valuable?

The 50 pence piece has become the most valued and collected coin in the UK, with many collectable designs appearing on its heptagonal canvas.

Its 27.5mm diameter makes it the largest of any British coin, and allows space for decorative pictures. It has often been used to celebrate big events over the past 50 years of British history.

The rarest coins tend to be of the greatest value, with the mintage (number of coins with each design made) being the fundamental attraction for collectors.

Along with the design, other aspects of the coin which increase value are the condition of the coin and whether it has an error in its design.

The way in which it is sold can also determine the coin’s value - while some coin collectors will bid vast amounts of money on ebay or at auction, others opt for more robust valuations by selling via a coin dealer.

Top 10 most valuable 50p coins, according to Royal Mint

Here is a list of the top 10 most valuable coins, when they were made and how many were minted:

1. Olympic Aquatics (2011), unknown
2. Kew Gardens (2009), 210,000
3. Olympic Wrestling (2011), 1,129,500
4. Olympic Football (2011), 1,161,500
5. Olympic Judo (2011), 1,161,500
6. Olympic Triathlon (2011), 1,163,500
7. Peter Rabbit (2018), 1,400,000
8. Flopsy Bunny (2018), 1,400,000
9. Olympic Tennis (2011), 1,454,000
10. Olympic Goalball (2011), 1,615,500