One lucky pensioner discovered that her box of junk was actually home to a very rare coin when she sent it by post for free to the experts at Vintage Cash Cow
A grandmother was thrilled to discover that a coin in a box of ‘junk’ in her home turned out to be valued at over £100,000.
Back in 2018, the 69-year-old from Hull was doing a clear out when she found the coin in a cardboard shoebox she had in her attic, which had been there for decades after it was passed down to her by her grandfather.
The delighted pensioner, who wished to remain anonymous, explained that her grandfather was a fisherman, so she suspected he may have got hold of the coin in the docks in Hull.
While clearing out her attic, she had offered the box to her children who politely declined it, dismissing it as junk. She considered throwing it away, but decided to post it for free to Vintage Cash Cow, along with some costume jewellery and a silver plated tea set, to see if she might be able to get a bit of cash for it.
Well, it turned out that the coin was exceptionally rare; a Rawlins’ Crown minted in 1644, during the reign of Charles I. According to the Vintage Cash Cow experts, it’s one of only 100 ever made.
Antony Charman, the brand’s Co-founder and head valuer at the time said: “We are excited to have found it for her. It shows that things don’t slip through. My theory is that with her grandfather being a fisherman, he may have got it on the docks. Fishermen were notorious drunks so it may have changed hands in the pubs.”
He added: “We receive literally tonnes of coins and much of this is only worth its weight in metal. But this distinctive coin immediately stood out. Given its value, we decided to share the good news face to face with the owner and her trusted friend.
“Her other items were worth £150 and I think she was already delighted with that, but thought a house visit was a little over the top. We then revealed the valuation of the Charles I coin and she nearly fell off her chair!”
The experts subsequently organised an auction of the coin, which they expected to fetch in excess of £100,000 especially due to its rarity and exceptionally good condition.
Antony added: “People are often embarrassed to take items to valuers in person and don’t have the time to list multiple items on auction sites. We’re addressing that by letting people send us stuff in bulk to get a free valuation. Hopefully this means more valuable items will be saved from landfill.”
Vintage Cash Cow offers an easy way to sell your old items in one go. Simply pop your items in a box, send it to the experts (they even cover the postage) and they’ll offer the amount of money they think your items are worth. If you like the offer, they send you the money, and if you’re not happy, they send you everything back for free. Simple, stress-free, and no auctions or faffing around involved.
Find out more at vintagecashcow.co.uk.