You may not realise you could have a small fortune sitting in your wallet or coin jar.
An expert has urged Brits to check their change for five of the rarest UK coins still in circulation. Collectively, these coins could be worth over £3,000 to collectors.
When paying with cash, many of us are happy to use up whatever change we’ve got in our wallets or pockets without a second glance. However, it could be worth double-checking before parting with certain coins due to their potential value.
In a video uploaded to social media platform TikTok, an expert who is known online as the Coin Collecting Wizard explained exactly what to look for. “Most valuable coins you can find in your change revealed,” he said.
The first coin he mentioned was a 50 pence piece from 2009. This coin features the image of the iconic pagoda at Kew Gardens on its reverse (tail) side.
He said: “Let’s start with a 50 pence coin and of course it is the 2009 Kew Gardens 50p. This coin is so hard to find with only 210,000 ever released and is worth around £140 today.”
Another 50p collectors “want to get their hands on” is known as the Atlantic salmon. This coin is dated 2023.
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He continued: “Even less were released than the Kew at 200,000. And if you find one of these in your change, you are looking at around £80.”
However, it is only versions of this coin that is missing a tiny mark that is particularly sought after. “But remember, it’s only the one without a privy mark dated 2023 that is rare and valuable,” he said.
Far more valuable is a specific £2 coin with an error. The expert said: “Now, let’s move on to a £2 coin and this one is known as the Lord Kitchener.”
Minted in 2014 to mark 100 years since the start of the First World War, this piece features the image of Lord Kitchener on its reverse. To be particularly valuable it needs to be missing the words “two pounds” on its heads side.
The expert said this could make it worth more than £1,000. He then moved on to a 2p coin with an incredible value of £2,000.
He said: “This is the ‘new pence’ two pence coin from 1983 and whilst it is unlikely you would find this in your change, it is possible.”
Instead of reading “two pence” on its reverse side, it says “new pence”. The Coin Collecting Wizard said: “This coin from 1983 was in Royal Mint sets and a mistake was made with the words ‘new pence’ instead of ‘two pence’.
“If you find it, keep it because it’s valued at around £2,000.” Lastly he revealed that a 20p coin with no date could be valued at £50.
He added: “And finally, let’s discuss a 20p coin with no date. If you find a 20 pence which was minted in 2008 but it has no date on the coin, then you have found a rare mule error 20p coin worth around £50.”