Sherlock Holmes 50p coin: how much is it worth?
A circulated Sherlock Holmes 50p coin in average condition is worth its face value of £0.50 or fifty pence.
UK Coin collectors may be prepared to pay more for a coin in good condition. Here are some recent selling prices we have seen on eBay:
- £1.25 for circulated coins in excellent condition
- £6 for uncirculated coins in the original Royal Mint sealed pack
- £25 for the Strike Your Own (SYO) coin
- £25 to £30 for Silver Proof limited edition
- £1,100 for the Gold Proof limited edition
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How rare is the Sherlock Holmes coin?
8 million coins were put into UK coin circulation in 2019 so the chances of you finding one in your pocket change are quite high.
The actual mintage figure is 8,602,000 coins. See our full list of rare fifty pence coins.
General Circulation Coins
This stylish coin commemorates the 160th Anniversary of the birth of the author of the Sherlock Holmes book series, Arthur Conan Doyle.
Due to huge popularity, on 13th May 2019, this 50 pence was released as a single coin design into general circulation plus coin collector editions in BU, Silver, Silver Proof, Silver Proof Piedfort, and Gold Proof limited edition coins. See the mintage figures below.
Brilliant Uncirculated Coin Pack
Sherlock Holmes 50p coin was issued by The Royal Mint on the 1st January 2019, as part of the 2019 Annual Coin Sets.
The Sherlock Holmes 50p Brilliant Uncirculated Coin Pack from the Royal Mint includes a booklet on the history of the Sherlock Holmes stories.
Reverse Design
The Reverse of the coin is designed by Stephen Raw (the initials SR are in the bottom right of the coin) and features a cameo of Sherlock Holmes surrounded by micro-text of the titles of some of his books.
Obverse Design
The Obverse design features the familiar 5th Portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Jody Clark (see JC initials).
50 Pence Coin Specifications
- The Royal Mint announces commemorative 50p to celebrate 160 years since the birth of the detective’s creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
- 50p piece will feature a design that requires a magnifying glass to read.
- Available in Gold and Silver Proof, Silver Proof Piedfort and Brilliant Uncirculated editions from The Royal Mint.
- The Sherlock Holmes 50p piece is due to enter circulation.
A Celebration of Sherlock Holmes 2019 UK 50p | ||||
Coin title | Gold Proof Coin | Silver Proof Piedfort Coin | Silver Proof Coin | Brilliant Uncirculated Coin |
| Alloy | 916.7 Au | 925 Ag Sterling Silver | 925 Ag Sterling Silver | Cupro-Nickel |
| Weight | 15.50g | 16.00g | 8.00g | 8.00g |
| Diameter | 27.30mm | |||
| Obverse Designer | Jody Clark | |||
| Reverse Designer | Stephen Raw | |||
| Quality | Proof | Brilliant Uncirculated | ||
| Limited Edition Presentation | 400 | 2,500 | 6,000 | Unlimited |
| RRP | £795 | £95 | £55 | £10 |
Limited Edition Presentation (LEP) refers to single coins available in specific presentations such as Gold Proof.
Maximum Coin Mintage (MCM) includes coins made available as part of coin sets, such as Annual Coin Sets.
Brilliant Uncirculated Coin Specification
| Denomination | 50p |
|---|---|
| Alloy | Cupro-nickel |
| Weight | 8.00g |
| Diameter | 27.30mm |
| Quality | Brilliant Uncirculated |
| Year | 2019 |
| Mintage | Unlimited |
Base Proof Coin
| Denomination | 50p |
|---|---|
| Alloy | Cupro-nickel |
| Weight | 8.00g |
| Diameter | 27.30mm |
| Year | 2019 |
| Mintage | Part of 2019 Annual Coin Sets |
Silver Coin
| Denomination | 50p |
|---|---|
| Alloy | .925 Sterling Silver |
| Weight | 8.00g |
| Diameter | 27.30mm |
| Quality | Proof |
| Year | 2019 |
| Pure Metal Type | Silver |
| Mintage – LEP | 6,000 coins |
| Mintage – MCM | 7,500 coins |
| Release price | £55 |
Silver Piedfort Coin
| Denomination | 50p |
|---|---|
| Alloy | .925 Sterling Silver |
| Weight | 16.00g |
| Diameter | 27.30mm |
| Quality | Proof |
| Year | 2019 |
| Pure Metal Type | Silver |
| Mintage – LEP | 2,500 coins |
| Mintage – MCM | 3,500 coins |
| Release price | £95 |
Gold Coin
| Denomination | 50p |
|---|---|
| Alloy | 22 Carat Gold |
| Weight | 15.50g |
| Diameter | 27.30mm |
| Quality | Proof |
| Year | 2019 |
| Pure Metal Type | Gold |
| Mintage – LEP | 400 coins |
| Mintage – MCM | 600 coins |
| Release Price | £795 |
Sherlock Holmes Strike Your Own 50p
On the 28th of June 2019, the Royal Mint switched to the Sherlock Holmes 50 pence being the coin you could strike for yourself during a visit to The Royal Mint Experience at their site in Wales.
As such, only a very limited number of these coins would have been made in this presentation. Search on eBay for Sherlock Holmes Strike Your Own 50p or Sherlock Holmes SYO 50p
Coin Mintage Figures
- Brilliant Uncirculated Coin is unlimited
- Silver Proof Coin has a Limited Edition Presentation of 6,000 coins
- Silver Proof Piedfort Coin has a Limited Edition Presentation of 2,500
- Gold Proof Coin has a Limited Edition Presentation of 400
Limited Edition Presentation (LEP) refers to single coins available in specific presentations such as Gold Proof.
Maximum Coin Mintage (LEP) includes coin made available as part of coin sets, such as Annual Coin Sets.
