18 July 2025
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Found a Paddington Bear 50p? Find out whether its rare, how much it might be worth, and what other Paddington coins you can collect with our in-depth coin guide.
British author Michael Bond created Paddington Bear in 1958. Sixty years later, in 2018, The Royal Mint celebrated the first six decades of the lovable character with two 50p coins. Two more 50p coins followed in 2019. We will be breaking down the details about each of the coins and how rare they actually are.
They ended up being one of the most sought after 50p series ever.
Paddington at Buckingham Palace
The Royal Mint issued this as a circulated coin on 18 June 2018. It had a mintage of 5,001,000. The designers based the coins on the modern adaptation of Paddington Bear from the movie.
The coin shows Paddington Bear waving a Union Flag outside Buckingham Palace This is the first time Paddington has appeared on UK coins.
Because the Royal Mint put so many into circulation, they all show numerous marks and scratches. This is why the Royal Mint released some Brilliant uncirculated 50ps. They were also limited to 60,000 Silver Proof coins.
Paddington at the Station
The Royal Mint also issued this as a circulated coin on 18 June 2018. It had a mintage of 5,901,000, as well as releasing a Brilliant Uncirculated version.
The Paddington at the Station 50p features Paddington on his suitcase with a train behind him. He is wearing the famous tag around his neck, which many will know says 'please look after this bear, thank you.'
Paddington at the Tower
Everyones favourite bear continued his adventures in 2019, by visiting the Tower of London. David Knapton designed the coin, showing Paddington holding his famous marmalade sandwich outside the Tower of London.
The Royal Mint also released Brilliant Uncirculated coins and a Silver Proof version of the 50p.
Paddington at St Pauls
Designer David Knapton has portrayed Paddington tipping his famous hat outside St Pauls Cathedral. Released as circulated and brilliant uncirculated, these 50ps took the UK by storm and was loved by many. The Royal Mint released Silver Proof versions, like the others, but also created a Gold Proof version of this particular design. The Gold Proof are selling for £945.
What is a Paddington Bear 50p worth?
The circulation coins are not particularly rare because of the mintage figure being over 5 million. In comparison, only 210,000 copies of the highly collectible 2009 Kew Gardens 50p coins were minted.
In short, the Paddington Bear 50p coins you find in your change are worth about 50p. But why not add them to your coin collection anyway.
The Royal Mint is selling the Brilliant Uncirculated coins for £10 and the Silver Proof for £60.
Why were some Paddington coins sold for thousands?
Back in 2018, a small number of the Paddington Bear 50p coins were issued early. This gave collectors the chance to get their hands on the pieces before they were officially released.
Sellers put some of these first coins up for sale on eBay. This attracted interest from the national newspapers, who often report on sales of 50p coins.
One coin even had a price of £16,000, but don't believe the hype! The coin will not have sold for this much. As soon as the coins were released, these early coins lost any additional value that they may have had.
It's often the case that newspapers report on modern coins selling for hundreds or thousands on eBay. However, there's usually an explanation that means it's more a case of sellers 'trying their luck' rather than any bonafide rarity. As ever, buyer beware, know the facts before you spend your money.
Suggested article: How Much Is the Winnie the Pooh 50p Coin Worth? Full Collector’s Guide