A COIN expert has given insight into a rare detail on a 20p coin which makes it 300 times more valuable.
The professional, who goes by the name of the CoinCollectingWizard on TikTok, shared how an error on a 20p coin made in 2008 has made it one of the “holy grails” for collectors.
Almost two decades ago a number of 20p coins were struck with the wrong dye, resulting in no date on the coin.
The social media star said this was due to a mix-up at the Royal Mint when the new Royal Shield of Arms design was introduced.
It was the first time in 300 years that it had been produced without a date.
“This makes it highly sought after by coin collectors,” the coin-collecting professional said.
It is thought around 250,000 coins have the error.
The front of the coin features the traditional profile of Queen Elizabeth II.
Meanwhile, the back of the 20p features a segment of the Royal Shield.
Neither side of the coin features a date making it a rare find.
This coin is known as the undated 20p coin and can sell for up to £75 on places such as eBay.
It’s also still in circulation meaning you have a chance of receiving one in your change if you pay for something in a shop.
But that has not stopped coin collectors from paying a hefty sum to get their hands on one.
The Sun found a 20p mule coin that was sold for £75 this week on eBay.
Another seller paid £51 for the coin at the start of October.
However, it is important to note that a coin is only worth how much the buyer is willing to pay for it.
Other rare coins which could be worth more include the One Penny which dates back to 1893, but it’s the production error which makes it a valuable find.
The ancient coin features Britannia on the back and the reverse of the coin is the usual Queen Victoria bun head, which is a feature on many coins from this era.
What makes the coin valuable is an error with the number three in the date at the bottom of the coin.
COMMENTS by Consumer Editor, Alice Grahns:
It’s easy to check if items in your attic are valuable.
As a first step, go on eBay to check what other similar pieces, if not the same, have sold for recently.
Simply search for your item, filter by “sold listings” and toggle by the highest value.
This will give you an idea of how much others are willing to pay for it.
The method can be used for everything ranging from rare coins and notes to stamps, old toys, books and vinyl records – just to mention a few examples.
For coins, online tools from change experts like Coin Hunter are also helpful to see how much it could be worth.
Plus, you can refer to Change Checker’s latest scarcity index update to see which coins are topping the charts.
For especially valuable items, you may want to enlist the help of experts or auction houses.
Do your research first though and be aware of any fees for evaluating your stuff.
As a rule of thumb, rarity and condition are key factors in determining the value of any item.
You’re never guaranteed to make a mint, however.
Under the number three of the error coin, it looks like there is the start of a number two.
If the coin features this it could be worth up to £600.
Rare coins and notes hiding down the back of your sofa could sell for hundreds of pounds.
If you are lucky enough to find a rare £10 note you might be able to sell it for multiple times its face value.
You can spot rare notes by keeping an eye out for the serial numbers.
These numbers can be found on the side with the Monarch’s face, just under the value £10 in the corner of the note.
Also if you have a serial number on your note that is quite quirky you could cash in thousands.
For example, one seller bagged £3,600 after spotting a specific serial number relating to the year Jane Austen was born on one of their notes.
You can check if your notes are worth anything on eBay, just tick “completed and sold items” and filter by the highest value.
It will give you an idea of what people are willing to pay for some notes.
But do bear in mind that yours is only worth what someone else is willing to pay for it.
This is also the case for coins, you can determine how rare your coin is by looking a the latest scarcity index.
The next step is to take a look at what has been recently sold on eBay.
Experts from Change Checker recommend looking at “sold listings” to be sure that the coin has sold for the specified amount rather than just been listed.
People can list things for any price they like, but it doesn’t mean it will sell for that amount.
We explain further how you can find out if you have a rare coin worth thousands sitting around the house.
The Royal Mint has revealed how you can spot a fake coin and here are some possible signs to look out for.
