Do you have a rare Battle of Hastings 50p coin?
Sometimes eye-watering values can make the news headlines, but are the prices true sales?
It is certainly a coin that can be worth more than the face value of 50p and we keep a constant eye on the real prices which you’ll find below.
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2016 Battle of Hastings 50p Coin
The Battle of Hastings 50p coin was released to commemorate 950 years since the 1066 Battle of Hastings between King Harold and an invading William the Conquerer.
The reverse of the coin as seen below was designed by John Bergdahl who’s initials can be seen in small lettering just below the ground o the right.
The design of the coin was inspired by the Bayeux Tapestry which depicts the Battle of Hastings and the events leading up to it.
The centrepiece of the coin is an image of a standing and armoured King Harold holding on to an arrow that has been shot into his eye. In his other arm, he’s holding a shield which has also been hit by 3 arrows.
Around the edges of the coin we see the inscribed “BATTLE OF HASTINGS”. The year of the battle 1066 is split in half on either side of the King Harold central figure. The year of the 950th anniversary and coin release into circulation 2016 is at the center base of the coin, directly below King Harold himself.
How Much is the Battle of Hastings 50p Worth?
The Battle of Hastings 50p value in excellent circulated condition to uncirculated is in the range of £1.00 to £5.00. Even circulated coins can be worth more than the face value of 50p if they are in good enough condition.
Estimated Prices are as follows:
- Average circulated condition 50p
- Very good to excellent circulated condition £1.00 to £2.00
- Uncirculated condition £3.50 to £5.00
Here you can find a full list of the rarest and most valuable 50p coins in circulation.
How Many of the 2016 Battle of Hastings 50p Coins Were Made?
There was 6,700,000 Battle of Hastings coins minted for circulation by the Royal Mint in 2016.
Is the Battle of Hastings 50p Coin Rare?
With over 6 million minted the Battle of Hastings 50p is rare enough to be worth more than face value if it’s in good enough condition, although it is not considered an especially rare 50p.
The rarest 50p coins tend to have mintages under 2 million, with the rarest and most valuable of all Kew Gardens having a mintage of just 210,000.
Occasionally stories of 50p coins selling for huge sums are used as clickbait titles by various online news outlets. For example, a Battle of Hastings 50p coin supposedly sold for thousands. However, just because the bidding reaches this price does not mean the item actually sold at this price, or anywhere near it if it sold at all.
How to Sell Battle of Hastings 50p?
You can sell an excellent condition or uncirculated Battle of Hastings 50p on eBay or perhaps on local Marketplace sites like Facebook Marketplace.
They don’t fetch too much as single coins, so many sellers sell them as part of collections or in bundles of coins worth more than face value to collectors.
2019 Battle of Hastings 50p
In 2019 the Royal Mint reissued the Battle of Hastings 50p as part of a Miltary set celebrating 50 years of the 50p coin.
These coins were not intended for circulation and were issued as collector pieces only, so you won’t find them in your change.
Why are Some Battle of Hastings 50p Worth More Than Others?
The Battle of Hastings 50p value is generally in the range of £1.00 to £5.00 if they are in excellent circulated or uncirculated condition. There were reports of huge bids being placed on eBay for Battle of Hastings 50p worth £6000+. However, it’s highly unlikely the sale went through. This doesn’t stop some news sources from using the bid prices for clickbait titles to attract interest.
About The Battle of Hastings 1066
The Battle of Hastings was such a significant event in history because of how it altered English nobility and culture.
It was the beginning of the Norman conquest of England, which led to many changes in the English language, aristocracy, and overall society.
Just a matter of day’s before the Norman invasion, King Harold’s English army had been depleted by several battles in the North of England against his brother Tostig’s army and separately the King of Norway Harald Hardrada.
This meant that they were poorly positioned to face William of Normandy who was fresh from victory in Brittany with an army composed primarily of archers and infantry.
King Harold II of England (Harold Godwinson) famously died during the battle, and William became the new King of England.
However, whether King Harold actually died with an arrow to the eye is up for debate. Some historians believe he was hacked to pieces by the members of the opposing army. An image less likely to make a coin!
Either way, it was a historic event and his death significantly changed the course of English history.
Bayeux Tapestry
The design of the 50p coin was inspired by images from the Bayeux tapestry.
At some time in the 11th century, the Bayeux Tapestry was believed to have been created in England. The Bayeux Tapestry is a 70-metre long, hand-woven tapestry that depicts the events leading up to the Norman conquest of England in 1066.
There are two adjacent text passages presenting different views of history. The construction of the work probably began soon after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. It was a gift to a French abbey from a Norman patron and is now exhibited at a museum in Bayeux, Normandy.
