How many Olympic 50p coins are there, and how much are they worth?

The Royal Mint issued a total of 29 Olympic 50p coins to celebrate London holding the Olympic Games in 2012. The first was issued in 2009, with the remaining coins issued in 2011 as anticipation for the London games continued. Each coin was designed by a member of the public as part of a nationwide competition.

• The coins were issued in their millions so are generally not very rare
• However, due to their popularity many have been taken out of circulation by collectors
• The rarest Olympic 50p coin is the 'Football' coin, which cleverly explains the offside rule
• A full set of the Olympic 50p coins usually selles for around £50 to £60
• Most single coins sell for around £5 or less, the 'Football' 50p coin fetches around £8

The other scarcer 50p coins are Triathlon, Wrestling, Judo, and Cycling.

The full list of the Olympic 50p coins, with their mintage and approximate value, is as follows:

• Aquatics: 2,179,000, approximate value: £2.50
   
  • There is a very rare version of this coin which has sold for just over £800 in the past!
     
  • The Aquatics coin was redesigned to make the swimmer’s face more visible, but not before around 600 coins showing the original design were entered into circulation… cue the big coin hunt! On the rare version, the wavy lines representing the water are seen crossing in front of the swimmer’s face, whilst the more common coin has the face at the front making it much clearer.
     
  • According to the website thefakepoundcoindatabase.co.uk, there are seven fake versions of the Aquatics coin in circulation, so do be aware; if in doubt ask a coin dealer for a second opinion, and if you’re really not sure then only spend what you are willing to lose.
     

• Archery: 3,345,500, approximate value: £1.50

• Athletics: 2,224,000, approximate value: £1.75

• Badminton: 2,133,500, approximate value: £1.75

• Basketball: 1,748,000, approximate value: £2

• Boccia: 2,166,000, approximate value: £1.75

• Boxing: 2,148,500, approximate value: £2

• Canoeing: 2,166,500, approximate value: £1.50

• Cycling: 2,090,500, approximate value: £1.75

• Equestrian: 2,142,500, approximate value: £1.75

• Fencing: 2,115,500, approximate value: £1.75

• Football: 1,125,500, approximate value: £13

  • This clever coin explains the offside rule very simply and has become one of the rarer Olympics 50p coins. This is in part due to the lower mintage and also because of the unusual design; any design that has an obvious talking point is more likely to be retained by the public, perhaps by those wanting to explain the offside rule to their friends once and for all!

• Goalball: 1,615,500, approximate value: £2.50

• Gymnastics: 1,720,813, approximate value: £2.50

• Handball: 1,676,500, approximate value: £2.50

• Hockey: 1,773,500, approximate value: £2.50

• Judo: 1,161,500, approximate value: £8

• Modern Pentathlon: 1,689,500, approximate value: £2.50

• Rowing: 1,717,300, approximate value: £2.50

• Sailing: 1,749,500, approximate value: £2.50

• Shooting: 1,656,500, approximate value: £2.75

• Table Tennis: 1,737,500, approximate value: £2.50

• Taekwondo: 1,664,000, approximate value: £2.50

• Tennis: 1,454,000, approximate value: £3.50

• Triathlon: 1,163,500, approximate value: £10

• Volleyball: 2,133,500, approximate value: £2

• Weightlifting: 1,879,500, approximate value: £2.50

• Wheelchair Rugby: 1,765,500, approximate value: £2

• Wrestling: 1,129,500, approximate value: £8

Read more about Britain's 50p coins:

• How much is the Kew Gardens 50p worth?
• How much are the Beatrix Potter 50p coins worth?
• How much is the Isaac Newton 50p worth?