Scarcity Index
UPDATED: The results of our latest Scarcity Index are in…
The latest Change Checker Scarcity Index update of 2018 is here and the results are in…
The 50p and £2 Scarcity Indexes have been compiled using data from the second quarter of the year.
As per our previous quarter, you can now use our new feature to help you track the performance of your coins. The arrows signify how many places, up or down, a coin has moved on the Scarcity Index; any coins with a yellow star are making their first appearance after having been released into circulation.
50p Scarcity Index
Not surprisingly, Kew Gardens still remains the most scarce UK 50p coin with a mintage figure of just 210,000. There has been a lot of movement this quarter, with significant improvements in the performance of Sir Isaac Newton, Rowing and Canoeing.
On the other hand, both Girl Guides and Tom Kitten have seen less interest, with both coins moving 9 points down the Index.
Our top and bottom 6 coins seem to remain consistent for now, although there is always the potential for change as new coins enter circulation, and we’ve had a number of new releases recently that could mix things in up…
£2 Scarcity Index
Although the 2017 WW1 Aviation and Jane Austen £2 coins are yet to enter circulation, we’ve still seen some movement amongst the current coins in our Scarcity Index.
The ever popular Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland £2 regains its place at the top after a briefly being replaced by Wales. Another strong improvement goes to Trinity House, which has also moved up the Index 4 places.
On the other end of the spectrum, the Rugby World Cup and Florence Nightingale coins have moved down the Index this quarter, with Florence Nightingale dropping an impressive 8 places. This is due in part to a lack of Change Checkers requesting to swap these coins, however we wouldn’t be surprised to see these coins creeping up the Index in the next quarter.
What about the A to Z 10p coins?
Unfortunately, at present, there is simply not enough data to accurately compile a full A to Z 10p Scarcity Index. However, we have put together a ‘Swap Index’ using data from the Change Checker App which we feel is the most accurate way currently to determine which A-Z 10ps are most sought after.
Our top two coins (A for Angel of the North and E for English Breakfast) are very clearly the most sought after, with L for Loch Ness Monster coming in third. Speculation as to why people might be collecting certain designs is three pronged: 1) Perhaps people are looking for A to start their collection at the beginning of the alphabet. 2) They could be looking for coins that match their initials. 3) People might be collecting the coins based on which design/theme is their favourite.
Initially, a limited stock of 2.6 million A-Z 10p coins were released into circulation through the Post Office network to coincide with the release of the designs in March. It has been no surprise that these have been quickly snapped up by eagle-eyed change collectors.
As more coins enter circulation and are found, we will begin to see more data emerge and a full Index for these coins will be compiled.
How the Scarcity Index works
Generally collectors have had to rely upon mintage figures to identify the scarcest coins. But they only tell part of the story. Trying to find a good quality coin from 15 – 20 years ago, even for a higher mintage issue, is much more challenging than a more recent issue, as coins become damaged over time and are ultimately removed from circulation.
Additionally, some designs are more hoarded than others by people who might not normally collect coins – the recent poignant First World War £2 Coin series being an example. Finally, it can be up to a couple of years before the Royal Mint eventually confirms the actual mintage for an issue.
That’s why we have combined the mintage information with two other key pieces of information.
- How many of each design are listed as “collected” by Change Checkers, indicating the relative ease of finding a particular coin.
- The number of times a design has been requested as a swap over the previous 3 months, showing the current level of collector demand.
Importantly, as new coins are released and popularity rises and falls across different designs the Scarcity Index will be updated quarterly allowing Change Checkers to track the relative performance of the UK’s circulation coins.
How much are my coins worth?
The Scarcity Index does not necessarily equate to value but it is certainly an effective indicator. For example, the Kew Gardens 50p coin commands a premium of up to 160 times face value on eBay.
What about £1 Coins?
The £1 Scarcity Index has already been published for the Round £1 coins and, because they are no longer being issued, this is now set in stone.
If you’re interested in coin collecting, our Change Checker web app is completely free to use and allows users to:
– Find and identify the coins in their pocket
– Collect and track the coins they have
– Swap their spare coins with other Change Checkers
Sign up today at: www.changechecker.org/app
The UK’s most popular A-Z 10p coin revealed…
The new A-Z 10p coins have proved some of the hardest coins to find in your change. Whilst that will hopefully become easier as more are gradually released into circulation over the coming months, we’ve taken a first look at which are the most popular with collectors.
There’s not enough data yet to publish a full scarcity index but we have crunched the numbers based on Change Checker’s top swap requests – and here are the winners.
1. A – Angel of the North
2. E – English Breakfast
3. L – Loch Ness
The Top 3 coins most requested to swap.
Further releases expected…
Initially, a limited stock of 2.6 million A-Z 10p coins were released into circulation through the Post Office network to coincide with the release of the designs in March. It has been no surprise that these have been quickly snapped up by eagle-eyed change collectors.
However, don’t despair if you haven’t found any of the A-Z 10p coins yet. More are expected to be released into circulation as and when there is demand for more circulating 10p coins. This is something that’s managed between Treasury (and not the Royal Mint) and the large cash processors, including the Post Office, some banks, as well as private operators (find out more in our “When will I find and A to Z 10p in my change” blog).
In addition, there have been a number of limited releases, including “T” at Betty’s Tea Rooms, “F” in 20 of the UK’s top chippies and “B” at the Bond in Motion exhibition – as well as our own Change Checker Live 10p Lucky Dips, with more of our live events coming up on the 8th of September in Croydon and the 20th of October in Bristol.
Don’t worry, though, as soon as we hear any more news about more the A-Z 10p coins entering circulation, Change Checkers will be the very first to know.
In the meantime, you can view the full A-Z 10p Swap Index below for your guide as to which letters have proved most popular with collectors.
* Compiled from Change Checker App data and accurate as of 15/06/18.
Complete your A-Z 10p Collection
You can now complete your collection of all 26 A-Z of Great Britain 10p coins in Certified Early Strike quality.
How scarce are your coins? Here’s our latest Scarcity Index update!
The first Change Checker Scarcity Index update of 2018 is here. The 50p and £2 Scarcity Indexes have been compiled using data from the first three months of the year.
We’ve added a new feature to help you track the performance of your coins. The arrows signify how many places, up or down, a coin has moved on the Scarcity Index; any coins with a yellow star are making their first appearance after having been released into circulation.
50p Scarcity Index
Kew Gardens remains the most scarce UK 50p coin which is not surprising with a mintage figure of just 210,000. There are a number of coins which have moved up the index quite significantly, such as Shooting, Pentathlon and Hockey, all part of the 2012 Olympic series. Also, Triathlon moves it into the top 3, replacing Judo.
Sailing and Wheelchair Rugby, part of the same series, have not performed as well and both have move down 5 places.
Jeremy Fisher makes its debut in our Scarcity Index with a score of 14, making it the third scarcest Beatrix Potter coin behind Jemima Puddle-Duck and Tom Kitten.
£2 Scarcity Index
There’s not a huge amount of movement in this quarter’s update and also no new coins have been added. The 2017 WW1 Aviation and Jane Austen £2 coins are yet to enter circulation.
The Commonwealth Games Wales coin retains its spot at the top of the £2 Scarcity Index with Scotland moving up to 2nd. Interestingly Northern Ireland drops down to 4th place due to far less swap demand than the other 3 coins in the 2002 Commonwealth Games series. In fact, in this quarter, the Northern Ireland coin was requested to swap almost 50% less than the Wales, Scotland or England.
There’s a particularly strong performance from the Florence Nightingale and Paddington Station coins, each moving up 7 places.
The First World War Centenary (Army) is the worst performing coin, moving down three places.
What about the A to Z 10p coins?
Unfortunately, at present, there is simply not enough data to accurately compile an A to Z 10p Scarcity Index. However, we have a few early indicators to show which 10p coins may become the most scarce in future.
The three A to Z 10p coins that most people have in their collection are B-Bond, A-Angel of the North and H-Houses of Parliament. As people are struggling to find these coins in their change, the majority of coins in people’s collections would have been ‘Early Strike’ coins that they have purchased. Therefore this would indicate that, at this stage, these three designs are amongst the most desirable.
The three A to Z 10p coins that most people are looking to add to their collection are E-English Breakfast, A-Angel of the North and F-Fish and Chips. Interestingly, A-Angel of the North appears on both lists meaning that, at this very early stage, it’s arguably the most popular A to Z 10p coin.
How the Scarcity Index works
Generally collectors have had to rely upon mintage figures to identify the scarcest coins. But they only tell part of the story. Trying to find a good quality coin from 15 – 20 years ago, even for a higher mintage issue, is much more challenging than a more recent issue, as coins become damaged over time and are ultimately removed from circulation.
Additionally, some designs are more hoarded than others by people who might not normally collect coins – the recent poignant First World War £2 Coin series being an example. Finally, it can be up to a couple of years before the Royal Mint eventually confirms the actual mintage for an issue.
That’s why we have combined the mintage information with two other key pieces of information.
- How many of each design are listed as “collected” by Change Checkers, indicating the relative ease of finding a particular coin.
- The number of times a design has been requested as a swap over the previous 3 months, showing the current level of collector demand.
Importantly, as new coins are released and popularity rises and falls across different designs the Scarcity Index will be updated quarterly allowing Change Checkers to track the relative performance of the UK’s circulation coins.
How much are my coins worth?
The Scarcity Index does not necessarily equate to value but it is certainly an effective indicator. For example, the Kew Gardens 50p coin commands a premium of up to 160 times face value on eBay.
What about £1 Coins?
The £1 Scarcity Index has already been published for the Round £1 coins and, because they are no longer being issued, this is now set in stone.