A RARE gold coin worth £2,500 is going under the hammer after being hidden away in a drawer for years.
The owner of the 400-year-old coin thought it was fake until an antiques expert revealed its true value.
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Antiques valuer Robin Fletcher was sifting through his client’s coin collection when he surprisingly struck gold.
Robin said he was “shocked” when he saw a “glint of gold” among the collection.
On closer inspection, the antiques expert realised that it was a historic gold Unite (20 shillings) piece, dating back to 1625 and the reign of Charles I.
He said: “The vendor found the coin at the back of a dressing table drawer when she was sorting through her late aunt’s effects.
“Both the vendor and her husband assumed it must be fake so took little notice of it and tossed it into a box of mixed 20th century coins.
“As always, I carefully sifted through the coins to see if there was anything of value and was shocked when I saw a glint of gold.
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“As I was told it was a fake I didn’t do a close inspection until I got it back to the office.
“I then realised I’d struck gold. I phoned the seller to let her know.
“She was surprised and delighted to hear the valuation.”
Charles I was King of England, Scotland and Ireland from March 27, 1625 until his execution in 1649.
Robin added: “We will never know how this historical gem ended up languishing in a dressing table drawer for, probably for decades.
“Gold sometimes gets overlooked when it’s discovered by chance as people automatically assume they can’t be lucky enough to have found the real thing.”
The antiques expert explained that many people have “piles of old coins stuck in drawers or tins at home” that may have been inherited.
He said: “Coin collecting was, and still is, popular.
“The problem with coins is that they’re so small they can get forgotten.
“They end up hidden away at the back of drawers, lost under sofa cushions or even left in pockets.
“I’d advise anyone with old coins sitting around at home to go through them carefully and call in the experts to double check their value.”
The rare coin is now going under the hammer at Hansons Royal Tunbridge Wells on May 23 where it is set to fetch between £1,500-£2,500.
What to do if you find an antique coin
There are lots of ways to sell your coin – you can sell it on eBay, through Facebook, or in an auction.
But the process isn’t without its risks.
A number of scams have been reported to target sellers on Facebook.
Crooks will say they’re planning to buy the item, and ask for money upfront for a courier they’ll be sending around.
But it’s all a scam. You send your free cash to them, and they never have any intention of picking your item up.
Always make sure to meet the individual in the flesh if you intend to buy or sell on Facebook Marketplace.
Ensure it’s a public meeting spot that’s in a well-lit area.
Avoid payment links and log in directly through the payment method’s website.
Most sellers prefer to deal with cash directly when meeting to ensure it’s legit.
Perhaps the safest way of selling rare coins is to sell them at auction – to do this, contact The Royal Mint’s Collectors Service.
It has a team of experts who can help you authenticate and value your coin.
You’ll need to enquire via email, and a member of the valuation team will contact get back to you.
