Some of these elusive pieces can fetch prices far above their face value on resale platforms like eBay, where demand remains high.

Among the most sought-after are the iconic Kew Gardens 50p and a range of limited-edition alphabet 10p coins.

Mark Loveridge, director of UK currency at the Royal Mint, said: “The coinage of Queen Elizabeth II spanned 70 years and special designs issued into circulation celebrated some of the biggest events in history.

“Although the 2022 mintage figures mark the last time that Queen Elizabeth II’s   portrait will appear on new coins, over 27 billion of her coins will remain in circulation.

“Coin collecting remains a popular hobby in the UK and the coins of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign are particularly coveted. By sharing the list of rare designs we hope people will look closely at their coins – if they’re lucky they might find a piece of history.”

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.

Recommended Reading:

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.

The rarest coins minted during Queen Elizabeth II’s reign (Image: Royal Mint/PA)

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 rarest coins from Queen Elizabeth II’s reign

Here is a list of rare coins compiled by the Royal Mint, with information about the year of release, denomination, design features and whether or not the coin is still in circulation:

• 2019, 10p, a set of “A to Z” coins celebrating Britain. Letters Y, W and Z each had a mintage of 63,000, yes.
• 2019, 10p, also from the A to Z collection, the letter R had a mintage of 64,000, yes.
• 2019, 10p, all other letters in the A to Z collection had a mintage of 84,000, yes.
• 1992-1993, 50p, the coin celebrated the UK’s presidency of the Council of Ministers and the completion of the European single market. The design included a representation of a table with 12 stars, linked by a network of lines and the mintage was 109,000. The Mint said this was the lowest number of its 50ps issued into circulation, no.
• 2009, 50p, the design features the Kew Gardens pagoda with a decorative leafy climber twining in and around the tower, 210,000, yes.
• 2018 dated, 10p, the A to Z 10p collection celebrating Britain, each letter in this year had a mintage of 220,000, yes.
• 2015, £2, this coin paid tribute to the Royal Navy and its role during the First World War, and had a mintage of 650,000, yes.
• 2015, £2, it featured Britannia for the first time on a circulating £2 coin, with a mintage of 650,000, yes.
• 1985, 50p, the coin featured a figure of Britannia, with a shield, with a mintage of 682,103, no.
• 2002, £2, four £2 coins celebrating each home nation for the Commonwealth Games. Mintage figures for Scotland were 771,750, for Wales, 588,500, for Ireland, 485,500, and for England 650,500, yes.
• 2012, £2, the coin celebrated the closing of the 2012 Olympics and had a mintage of 845,000, yes
• 2008, £2, the coin marked the centenary of the Olympic Games, with mintage of 910,000, yes.
• 2008, £2, the coin marked the end of the Beijing 2008 Olympics, with a mintage of 918,000, yes.
• 2011, £2, the coin commemorated 400 years since the King James Bible was published, with a mintage of 975,000, yes.
• 2018, 50p, a series of coins celebrated Beatrix Potter’s classic tales, with a mintage of 1,400,000 each for the Peter Rabbit and Flopsy Bunny designs, yes.
• 2011, 50p, a series of coins celebrating the London 2012 Olympics. Mintages included 1,454,000 for tennis, 1,161,500 for judo and 1,129,500 for wrestling, yes.
• 2010-2011, £1, a series of round pound coins featuring official badges of capital cities in the UK. They had mintages of 935,000 for Edinburgh, 2,635,000 for London and 1,615,000 for Cardiff, no.
• 2008, £1,  the round pound coin featured the UK’s Royal Arms, with a mintage of 3,910,000, no.

At around 9.10pm on Thursday, April 2 there was a fight that broke out between two men in Millbrook Square, Grove.

The victim, in his 20s, was stabbed under the armpit during the attack and was taken to hospital with “non-life-threatening” injuries.

He has since been released from hospital.

READ MORE: Oxford restaurant shut down as dead mouse and poo found inside

Police officers on Saturday, April 4 arrested an 18-year-old man from Grove suspicion of assault by beating, assault causing actual bodily harm, possessing a knife in a public place and section 18 wounding with intent and he remains in police custody.

Investigating officer detective inspector Iain Roberts continues to appeal for anybody with information on the incident.

He said: “I am particularly keen to hear from anyone who may have not yet spoken to us to please reach out if you have any information about this assault.

“If you do not wish to speak to police you can speak to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

“I understand that incidents like this cause concern in the local community, but I want to reassure the public that you will likely see an increased police presence in the area while our enquiries continue.

“Anyone with information should call 101 or make a report online quoting reference 43260161353.”

They needn’t have worried – despite some initial hiccups, it has become a popular annual event, attracting dozens of performers and delighting hundreds of fans.

This year will be no exception as the still volunteer-led and not-for-profit spectacle hits the city next weekend with music, dancing, colour and the jingling of bells.

READ MORE: Oxford Folk Festival pictures

There will be a full programme of indoor concerts and ceilidhs, and musicians, bands, choirs and dancers performing all around the city.

The historic Covered Market remains the hub of the festival, with performances from noon on Friday (April 10) to the evening of Sunday (April 12).

Shoppers, browsers and tourists will be regaled with all kinds of entertainment – a varied programme of folk music, from ancient to modern.

A free evening concert, which has become a tradition of the festival, will be held at the Market on Saturday at 7.30pm, with music from the Abingdon-based Ock Street Band.

A folk fan at Oxford Folk Festival in 2024 (Image: Ed Nix)

Organisers are particularly pleased to be welcoming Aisling, a folk band from Leiden, Oxford’s twin city in Holland.

They will perform at a song and dance evening with the Oxford Folk Dancers at St Matthew’s Church in Marlborough Road, off Abingdon Road, on Friday at 7.30pm, with a ploughman’s supper included.

The six-strong Dutch group will also appear at the North Parade market, the Covered Market and, appropriately, in Leiden Square in the Westgate Centre.

Other festival venues include Broad Street, Bonn Square, St Giles, Radcliffe Square and Oxford Castle, while indoor performances will be held at the Norrington Room in Blackwells, the Old Fire Station, the Westgate library, the Weston Library at the Bodleian and Modern Art Oxford.

As one of the organisers says: “There is plenty on offer to lift the spirits of everyone.” Full details at oxfordfolkfest.org.uk