eBay seller sunshine-em has listed the Beatrix Potter Peter Rabbit coin on an auction basis.
The starting bid is £850, although there have been no offers yet.
Interested buyers also have the option to make an offer if they don’t wish to compete at auction.
Sunshine-em has a 100 per cent positive feedback rating, and said of the coin: “Extremely rare 2016 Peter Rabbit close up coin. Used but in good condition.”
Despite being called “extremely rare” by the seller, this coin is still in circulation – meaning there is a chance many Britons will have one.
The coin was minted in 2016 to as part of a series made to celebrate the life of English author, Beatrix Potter.
The design features the word Peter Rabbit etched in capital letters across the top of the coin, along with an engraving of Peter’s face.
A series of her beloved characters were minted onto 50ps, including characters such as Jemima Puddle-Duck, Jeremy Fisher and Mrs Tiggy Winkle.
Designed by Emma Noble the series has proven popular with coin collectors, with many coins in the series also selling for sky-high amounts on eBay.
According to The Royal Mint, it is one of the most in-demand coins, with the website reading: “Struck by The Royal Mint, this coin has proved to be extremely popular with coin collectors.”
They continued: “This brand new Beatrix Potter 50p coin has been issued to celebrate the life and work of Beatrix Potter on the 150th Anniversary of her birth.”
However, the coin isn’t actually as rare as the seller might think, with millions of them still in circulation.
Rated common on scarcity index Change Checker, 9,600,000 were actually minted in 2016.
50p coins are some of the most popular to sell on eBay, and this Peter Rabbit coin is not the only one listed for a high price.
A Johnson’s Dictionary 50p coin has been listed with a starting bid £500 on the auction site.
Describing the coin on the listing, the seller wrote: “The 50p coin made to commemorate the 250th Anniversary of the Johnson Dictionary. this coin has been in circulation” (sic).
Minted in 2005, the coin was released to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Johnson Dictionary.
Published in 1755, the Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary is one of the most influential pieces of work in the history of the English language.
It took eight years to write and influenced authors such as Charles Dickens, Oscar Wilde and Thomas Hardy – with all of them referring to the text.
Facts about British currency
Monarch direction
When a new monarch ascends to the throne and their profile is put on to currency, the side they face is swapped.
This means Charles will face left on British currency when he becomes King, as currently the Queen faces right.
Huge notes
The £50 not is the highest-value banknote in general circulation, but there are a small number of “giant” and “titan” notes – £1million and £100million notes respectively.
These are not designed for general use, but were instead created to back the value of everyday notes issued by commercial banks in Scotland Northern Ireland.
According to the BBC: “For every pound an authorised Scottish or Northern Irish bank wants to print in the form of its own notes, it has to deposit the equivalent amount in sterling with the Bank of England.”
Design
Royal Mint create and execute the designs for British coins.
Designs are based on current events, such as the 2012 Olympic Games, honouring history, such as both world wars, or literary/arts inspired, such as Beatrix Potter.
Cockney slang
Some of the most enduring cockney slang relates to money.
Archer = £2000, Bag of Sand = £1000, Grand = £1000, Monkey = £500, Carpet = £300 (can also be £30 or £3), Ton = £100, Pony = £25, Macaroni = £25, Apple Core = £20, Score = £20, Speckled Hen = £10, Uncle Ben = £10, Nigel Ben = £10, Paul McKenna = £10, Ayrton (Senna) = £10, Lady (Godiva) = Fiver = £5, Taxi Driver = £5 Nicker = £1, Ten Bob Bit = 50p piece Oxford = 5 shillings, Lord of the Manor = Tanner (sixpence)