YOU could cash in on thousands of pounds just by sifting through your change if you know which details to look for.
Rare minting errors on coins such as blank spaces, blemishes or misprinted digits can increase a coin’s value 1,160 times over.
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If you notice a coin in your wallet or purse that doesn’t look quite right, there is a chance it could be worth some cash.
Error coins can be worth a small fortune because very few of them make it into circulation and they are therefore coveted by coin collectors.
How much you can get for your coin depends on a range of factors, such as rarity, condition and demand at the time.
A coin is only ever worth as much as someone is willing to pay for it.
It is easy to list a rare coin on eBay, but it is also important to make sure you are listing it for the right price.
To make sure you don’t get ripped off, you should check previous sales to see what the same coin has gone for in the past.
If you think you have a super rare coin on your hands, or you aren’t sure, your best bet is getting in touch with an auction house.
You can contact The Royal Mint’s Collector’s Service where a team of experts will authenticate and value your coin.
You can also keep reading to see if you recognise any of the rare error coins we mention below.
Bronze 20p – £232
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Collectors go wild for rare 20 pence coins that were accidentally printed on a copper-coloured blank.
The error coins, produced in 1983, are thought to be one of the rarest around.
In September 2023 one flew off the eBay market for a whopping £232 after receiving a total of 28 bids.
The Royal Mint confirmed at the time that the bronze 20p was due to an “extremely rare” error.
One seller is currently trying to flog theirs for £328 – but there is no saying how much it will actually go for.
Remember, a coin is only worth what people will pay for it.
And also bear in mind that many people selling on eBay could be trying to scam you with decoy coins.
Sometimes it is best to meet your seller in person – in a public safe place – to secure a trustworthy transaction.
“New Pence” – 2p – £1,100
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A rare error two pence coin from 1983 was accidentally printed with the words “new pence” rather than “two pence”.
That year, The Royal mint had begun transforming the “new pence” coin into the “two pence”.
This was because the UK switched to decimal currency in 1971, and this was chosen to avoid confusion with the old currency.
But a handful of coins were accidentally printed with the former name and are thought to have entered circulation during the transition.
A viral coin expert, who goes by @CoinCollectingWizard, on TikTok, has speculated: “If you find this rare coin you are looking at £1,000 plus.”
According to Changechecker.org, one coin sold for £1,100 in 2019.
Some are listed on eBay right now for even higher prices – with one put on the site for £2,499.95.
However others have sold for much less on the site, so take this with a pinch of salt.
Olympic Aquatics – 50p – £3,766
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The 2011 Aquatics 50p was designed to commemorate the 2012 London Olympics.
Usually, the face of the swimmer is clearly visible on the coin rather than being indented by the waves.
However, around 600 of the pennies were misprinted with wave lines covering the entire surface.
If you have the collector’s version of the coin, sealed in a purple and teal card, there is a chance yours is the rare variant.
On August 4, one sold on eBay for a whopping £3,766.
And the Britannia Coin Company is currently auctioning one for £3,995 – almost 8,000 times its face value.
Lord Kitchener – £1 – £1,200
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Some Lord Kitchener £2 coins from 2014 could be worth 500 times their normal price if they have a specific fault.
Usually, every £2 coin has “TWO POUNDS” beneath the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II on the other side.
But a small number of the coins were actually struck without this denomination.
It is unsure exactly how many there are out there – but they are thought to be very rare.
According to @CoinCollectingWizard, the error pound coins can sell for anywhere between £900 or £1,000, and even more at auction.
The Britannia Coin Company has previously auctioned theirs for £1,200.
Third Portrait – 5p – £161.78
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A eBay auction turned heads when a seller sold their five pence coin for a whopping 3,220 times its original price.
It came after the seller noticed the 5p, featuring the “Third Portrait” of the Queen and a crowned thistle on the reverse, had been printed on the wrong coin.
When advertising the listing, the seller predicted it had actually been printed on a Fiji cent.
They said at the time: “Based on weight, metallurgy, diameter, designer of portrait – it would be a close match.”
The reason for this has remained a mystery – but experts say the coin could sell for even more if there are others out there.
How can I check if my error coin is genuine?
RARE and valuable coins can go for a hefty sum – but how do you know if your coin is the result of a genuine minting error?
The best way to find out if you have an error coin is to send it to the Royal Mint museum, which will analyse it and see if it is a result of a genuine minting error or not.
It’ll normally take a couple of weeks to get the results back to you.
But remember, there’s a difference between a genuine error coin and one that is just imperfect, for example with a design that is not as clear as you’d expect.
And whatever you do, don’t be tempted to splash your cash without evidence from the Mint confirming that it’s a genuine error.
Check your change
Owning a rare coin could mean you are sitting on a goldmine – you just need to know how to recognise one.
Low mintage numbers or errors boost their rarity and can cause the price to skyrocket.
If you think you’ve found a rare gem, you could visit an official website such as Changechecker.com to do your research.
By browsing eBay you can also compare the quality and make of your coin to how much others have sold for.
If you’re feeling iffy about making the final call, you can double check with an auction house.
Selling your rare coins
If you do think you want to look into auctioning, you can contact The Royal Mint’s Collectors’ Service.
They have a team of experts who can help you authenticate and value your coin, and ready it for going under the hammer.
You will need to enquire via email, and a member of the valuation team will get back to you.
Take a picture of your coin and attach it to the email – you can find all the details on The Royal Mint’s website.
If you opt for doing it yourself on eBay, keep an eye out for scams.
The best way to secure a safe deal is by meeting your buyer or seller in person in a safe public place.
What are the most rare and valuable coins?
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