If you’ve read my recent blueprint, on how to profit from finding collectible 50p coins in your loose change, perhaps you have now got into the habit of checking your change on a regular basis.

Well here’s a quick (zero cost) tip to speed up the whole process:

Head off to your bank and ask for some ‘bagged-up’ 50p coins (they sell them in £10.00 bags). Some banks will refuse to offer this service and some will be OK. Either way, if you go to a bank where you already have an account, then you should be fine.

Take your bag, or bags of 50p coins home and check for any collectible ones (see my blueprint for exact details). Then replace the rarer coins with some standard 50p coins and then next time you are passing a bank, swap them back over for bank notes.

I tried this with two bags (£20.00) and out of 40 coins I fished out four collectible ones, as photographed and listed below:

• 50p – Commemerating the 250th Anniversary of Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary of the English Language.  Dated 2005 – Recently sold for up to £3.85 on eBay.
• 50p – Commemerating the 150th Anniversary of the institution of the Victoria Cross – ‘Hero’. Dated 2005- Recently sold for up to £2.40 on eBay.
• 50p – Celebrating 100 years of Girlguiding (UK).  Dated 2010 – Recently sold for up to £5.99 on eBay.
• 50p – Celebrating the London Olympics, Triathlon Event. Dated 2011 – Recently sold for up to £10.80 on eBay.

** Oh, and whilst on the subject, in a few weeks I will be producing my second follow-up blueprint on ‘collectible coins in circulation’ – You’ll be amazed at what you might have given away!