A £2 coin has sold for 175 times its face value on eBay after being listed as having a rare error – but experts say it may not be worth a mint.
The Charles Dickens themed coin has an error but, as any coin-hunter knows, that often only makes the currency more valuable.
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Indeed, last month a rare £1 coin with an error sold for a whopping £206 through the online auction site.
The Charles Dicken £2 coin was issued by the Royal Mint in 2012.
It was created to mark the 200th anniversary of the author’s birth in 1812.
The design aimed to celebrate the life and work of Charles Dickens, spelling out the titles of some of his most famous novels and characters including Little Dorrit, Bleak House, and a Tale of Two Cities.
The words are written in the shape of Dickens’ profile.
Around 8.1 million were minted, which doesn’t make it a particularly rare coin.
In fact, Coinhunter says the coins make up around 1 in every 99 of £2 coins currently in circulation.
According to the collectors website, the typical value of a standard circulated version of the coin in good condition is just £2.70.
On some occasions, however, rare coins with errors can be worth thousands of pounds each.
The nature of the production mistake means they’ll likely have been produced in low numbers too.
This coin was listed in October at a starting price of £350 and attracted six asking price bids.
Rare coins and valuable notes – is yours worth a mint?
It claims to have a rare minting error whereby the writing on one side of the coin is upside down.
The Charles Dickens coin doesn’t feature in the Royal Mint’s list of top 10 rarest and most valuable coins.
And some experts say the upside down writing may not actually be a rare error.
Change Checker, says upside down lettering is common on coins which use two metals and can be spotted on many £2 pieces.
It says this is more a “variation” than an “error”, meaning it may not make the coin any more valuable.
Do you have a rare coin?
If you think you might have a rare coin and are looking to sell it, you can compare other rare coins on eBay to see how much they have sold for as reference.
If you’re buying a rare coin then comparing can help you avoid overpaying for a rare error coin.
Online tools from change experts like Coin Hunter and Change Checker are also helpful in assessing how much your spare change could be worth.
And the Royal Mint can verify a coin for you, which will reassure buyers it’s the real deal.
Some of the most popular rare coins include the Kew Gardens 50p.
Just 210,000 of the 2009 special coin exist, meaning many buyers are willing to pay over the odds to get their hands on one.
Don’t forget to check your change if you’re on holiday too.
A rare US Lincoln penny recently sold online for a mega $1,552.
And it’s not just coins that can be worth more than their face value. We rounded up the most rare and valuable £5 notes.
If you’re thinking of buying a rare coin in an online auction, you should do your homework first.
Be wary of fakes as you may end up paying over the odds.
Remember, when you’re looking for prices to compare on eBay to look for the sold price, not the listing price.
But bear in mind the seller could pull out after the auction ends, so the price might not be what was paid.
Do you have any of these rare 2p coins worth up to £56 in your pocket?
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