Rare 50c coin from 1988 minted to celebrate bicentenary worth $15,000
An 'incredibly rare and valuable' 50c coin minted with a mistake is now worth an eye-watering amount.
A Melbourne coin auctioneer recently sold the 1988 coin with the wrong image on the tails side for $14,750.
All 50c coins minted that year were supposed to display a First Fleet ship and the dates 1788-1988 to acknowledge the bicentenary.
But an unknown number of those coins were wrongly minted with the standard coat of arms.
Ever since, collectors have been scrambling to get their hands on one.
A Melbourne coin auctioneer recently sold the 1988 coin with the wrong image on the tails side for $14,750
All 50c coins minted that year were supposed to display a First Fleet ship and the dates 1788-1988 to acknowledge the bicentenary. But a small number of those coins were wrongly minted with the standard coat of arms
Pictured is how the tails side on the 1988 Australian 50c piece normally looks
Family auctioneer house Downies Collectibles described the coin as 'eminently historic' and 'one of the rarest'.
Only two 1988 50c coins like it are known to be in circulation, but more could exist.
In July, Downies posted a TikTok video showing how the coin looks and said 'only one reported officially graded example in uncirculated condition' was known of.
'This unsuspecting rarity is a great example of why it's almost always worth checking your change.'
Downies described owning the coin as a 'once-in-a-lifetime opportunity'.
@downies_collectables✨️An Unsuspecting Rarity! ✨️The 1988 50c Coat of Arms coin shouldn't exist but here we have it in Proof quality!#coin #coincollecting #coincollector #coincollection #downiescollectables #silver #rarity #rarities #mistake #mulecoin #errorcoins #fiftycent
♬ original sound - downiescollectablesREAD MORE: Why a plain looking 5c coin could be worth up to $5,000
An ultra rare double-headed 5c coin has been valued between $3,000 and $5,000 among collectors who are desperately looking for one of their own.
The 2007 5c coin slipped into circulation with a major printing error before anyone realise that both sides feature the Queen's head.
A double-headed 5 cent coin from 2007 that made it into circulation has been valued between $3,000 and $5,000 depending on its condition
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