Rare Snowman and James 50p coin sold on eBay, Digi Mart USA News: A rare 50p coin has sold for more than 350 times its face value on the online auction site eBay.
The Snowman and James piece drew 17 bids on eBay and fetched £178.52 when it eventually sold. It was issued by the Isle of Man and struck by Pobjoy Mint.
According to Which?, the 2003 Snowman coin had a mintage of 10,000.
The coin marked the 25th anniversary of Raymond Briggs’ original book The Snowman, according to the Britannia Coin Company. Its reverse shows the Snowman and James in front of trees, while the obverse carries a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II.
Manx currency is not legal tender in the UK, even though it has the same face value. The 50p piece provides a seven-sided canvas for coin designs and has a diameter of 27.3mm.
The Royal Mint says mintage figures help establish a coin’s rarity, and a low-mintage coin might sell for more than its face value. Design and condition can also influence what collectors are willing to pay, with a coin closer to mint condition potentially worth more.
Collectors who are unsure about a coin’s history, rarity or authenticity can seek an expert valuation.
The Royal Mint lists these 10 UK 50p designs among its rarest circulating coins by mintage. It ranks the 2023 Atlantic Salmon as its rarest circulating 50p, with a mintage of 200,000.
The Isle of Man Snowman coin is separate from this list of UK coins.
