The 50p coin in question was released in 2009 to mark 250 years since the opening of Kew Gardens in 1759.

Just over 210,000 copies of the coin were produced by The Royal Mint, which lists the anniversary Kew Gardens coin as one of its rarest.

The coin features the Chinese Pagoda at the Royal Botanic Gardens on the tails side and a portrait of the Queen.

After being listed on online auction site eBay, the 50p coin attracted 13 bids before selling for £149.16 over the weekend.

Until recently, the Kew Gardens 50p coin was the rarest of its kind in circulation in the UK.

A 50p depicting the Atlantic Salmon and bearing the King’s portrait is now rarest 50p coin in circulation, the Royal Mint has confirmed.

Just 200,000 of the Atlantic Salmon 50ps have been released to UK banks and post offices, 10,000 less than the 2009 Kew Gardens coin.

Five Incredibly Rare and Valuable British Coins

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.

Royal Mint top 10 most valuable 50p coins

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

1. Atlantic Salmon (2023), 200,000
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

Now in one part of the city, efforts are being made to remind everyone of their contributions to city life.

City councillor Ed Turner, who represents Rose Hill and Iffley, has arranged for plaques to be added to six street signs in his ward.

READ MORE: Best beer gardens to enjoy in sunshine

They have been installed in Williamson Way, Constance Norman Way, John Parker Close, Norman Brown Close, Carole’s Way and Krebs Gardens.

Family members and residents turned out to join the six unveiling ceremonies, with warm tributes to those being remembered.

Canon Tony Williamson was one of Britain’s leading ‘worker priests’, combining his work as a forklift driver at the Cowley car body plant with his role as an Anglican priest.

He was a union leader, chairing the largest branch of the Transport and General Workers’ Union for 16 years.

As a city councillor, he chaired the housing committee and became council leader. He was also joint leader of Oxfordshire County Council.

As Lord Mayor in 1982-3, he mixed civic duties with clocking in at 7.15am daily at the Pressed Steel factory.

Connie Norman was head teacher at Rose Hill Primary School for more than 25 years and served as Oxfordshire president of the National Union of Teachers.

In 1974, she was presented with the Citizen of the Year award by the Lord Mayor, Barbara Gatehouse, for her service to the community.

Another community champion was city councillor John ‘Jack’ Parker, who worked at Morris Motors, was Lord Mayor in 1986-7, played in a brass band and was involved in youth football.

Norman Brown founded the Rose Hill Roundabout community newspaper and chaired the community association.

5

Carole’s Way is named after Carole Roberts who, judging by a thick file of pictures in the Oxford Mail archives, had a busy year as Lord Mayor in 1998-99.

She also chaired the city housing committee and was the first manager of the Rose Hill and Donnington Advice Centre.

6

Sir Hans Krebs was Whitley Professor of Biochemistry in Oxford and won the Nobel Prize for his work in 1953. He lived in Abberbury Road, Iffley.

Councillor Turner tells me: “It was very nice for people to get together and learn about those remembered. There is much appetite for more.”

North East-based Origin Tech, an AI and satellite technology specialist, has secured a 13-month contract with Thames Water to help detect and reduce water loss across its network.

The Origin Orbit system uses satellite imagery and artificial intelligence to pinpoint underground leaks within a 30-metre radius, offering a faster and more accurate alternative to traditional detection methods.

Shane Gloster, head of leakage at Thames Water, said: “A huge proportion of our leaks are never seen by customers, as they are underground and hard to find.

“To repair these as quickly as we can, it is vital that we use the latest innovative technology available.

“Partnering with Origin Tech, deploying their satellite data to detect leaks gives us a faster and more accurate indication of where the network has issues, enabling us to work more efficiently in our pursuit of bringing down water loss.”

The partnership, which began in March, builds on a successful 18-week trial that identified more than 800 leaks, saving an estimated 8.7 million litres of water per day.

Thames Water is now the first water company to fully integrate Origin Orbit technology into business-as-usual leakage operations.

Founded in 2019, Origin Tech currently works with 12 UK water companies, helping to prevent more than three billion litres of water leakage across the country.

John Marsden, co-founder of Origin Tech, said: “With one-fifth of all water in the UK being lost through leakage every year, the need for innovative solutions is evident.”