RARE coins could be sitting in your wallet worth up to £405.
The Royal Mint updated its mintage figures for every type of coin in circulation, from pennies to £2 coins, on September 14.
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The update provides a fresh look at which of the rarest coins are currently in circulation.
The mintage figure is an indication of how many of each coin have been produced and are out there passing through people’s change.
Avid collectors value the mintage of coins and the lower this figure is, the fewer there are around. The rarer the coin, the more it is likely to sell for on sites like eBay.
In a recent press release, The Royal Mint said that millions of people across the globe collect coins for fun, and more than half of British collectors get into the hobby after finding an unusual coin in their change.
You can get The Royal Mint to verify any coins you come across, which can help to reassure a buyer that they’re paying for the real deal when you come to sell it – and it could push up the price too.
On some occasions, rare coins with errors can also be worth thousands of pounds each. The nature of the production mistake means they’ll likely have been produced in low numbers too.
Although these aren’t included in The Royal Mint’s latest official list, they’re still worth keeping in mind if you’re looking to sell.
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.
Plus, online tools from change experts like Coin Hunter are helpful to see how much your spare change could be worth.
Other experts have weighed in on the rarity of coins in circulation too, with Changechecker publishing its most recent scarcity index, which looks at the value of the rarest coins.
Comparing the coins you might come across in your change against these resources will help you be wary of fake coins that may be in circulation too.
Remember, if you’re selling on eBay then you need to keep in mind that a buyer could have pulled out after the auction ended, meaning the coin won’t actually have sold for the price that it says it has.
We’ve taken a look at the top ten rarest and most valuable coins from The Royal Mint’s update, and how much legitimate bidders are placing on eBay to get their hands on them.
1. Great British Coin Hunt Z 10p – worth £96.65
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Royal Mint released this coin to celebrate James Callaghan’s iconic black and white pedestrian crossing.
The symbol has also become iconic in British culture thanks to the Beatles’ Abbey Road album, which shows all the members of the band walking over a crossing.
The coin was minted in 2019 and there were only 63,000 produced making it the rarest coin in circulation.
Because it’s so rare bidders were willing to spend almost £100 on a copy, as one of the coins sold for £96.65 in June on eBay.
2. Single Market 50p – worth £65.05
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Now considered a retro piece, the 50p coin is a lot older than others in The Royal Mint’s top ten, as it was minted in 1992.
Only 109,000 were produced so it’s the second rarest in circulation.
Bidders are willing to spend a pretty penny on it too, as we found one eBay listing that concluded on £65.05 earlier in September.
Collectors are also keen on the coin’s “double dated” design with “1992” and “1993” both featuring in the production.
3. Kew Gardens 50p – worth £405
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The 50p Kew Gardens coin features the Chinese Pagoda at the famous London landmark of the same name and makes it into the top three of the rarest coins out there as there’s so few of them.
Only 210,000 were released into circulation in 2009.
It’s also one of the most valuable, due to it’s recognisable design and low mintage with top offers on eBay recently going for £405.
The coin is no stranger to a high bid though, as at The Sun we’ve previously spotted the Kew Gardens 50p selling for as much as £707.
This listing isn’t around anymore though, but it does give you an indication of just how popular the rare coin can be.
4. Commonwealth Games Ireland £2 – worth £85.80
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In 2002, four different designs were created to commemorate the Commonwealth games, but the Irish version is the rarest with only 485,500 minted.
As it is so rare, the coin can be worth as much as £85.80, as that’s the price one bidder paid on eBay, the same day The Royal Mint’s update was released.
It means the coin has previously sold for almost 43 times its face value, so you could find it’s worth just as much if you were to fish a copy out of your own change.
5. Commonwealth Games Wales £2 – worth £42.50
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Just over 100,000 more copies were made of the second rarest Commonwealth coins, as 588,500 were minted.
The Commonwealth Games Wales £2 was also minted in 2002, but can still fetch more than face value on sites like eBay.
One bidder walked away with a copy of the coin after placing a £42.50 stake on it on the site.
You can also find sellers who have the complete set, available for hundreds of pounds instead.
6. Britannia 5th Portrait £2 – worth £48
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The Britannia design was minted in 2015, with 650,000 in circulation.
In 2008 the portrait design was dropped from the 50p despite a Daily Mail campaign to save her according to Changechecker.
The design had a whole cohort of fans though including then Prime Minister David Cameron who said: “It is great to see Britannia’s welcome return to our currency.
“Britannia is an enduring symbol of our national identity, ideal to help reinforce the sense of shared purpose and history for Britons.”
He wasn’t the only one keen for the coin as we’ve recently spotted buyers snapping up the £2 for as much as £48 on eBay.
7. FWW Navy 5th Portrait £2 – worth £22
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Another commemorative coin was released in 2015, as a further 650,000 of the First World War Navy £2s were minted.
The coin features a battleship design by military artist David Rowlands and the 5th portrait of the Queen.
It’s also the second in a five-coin series remembering the First World War and celebrates the efforts of the Royal Navy and their contribution to the war effort.
Collectors are willing to pay as much as £22 for the coin on eBay though.
8. Commonwealth Games England £2 – worth £29.13
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Another in the 2002 Commonwealth series, the English version is the eighth rarest.
650,500 were minted at the time making the coin rare enough for eBay bidders to happily pay as much as £29.13 for it.
The edge of this coin also has the inscription “Spirit of Friendship, Manchester 2002.” which adds appeal to collectors too.
9. Britannia 50p – worth £16
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In 1985 the Royal Mint released a Limited Issue Britannia 50p coin.
Only 682,103 were made, so collectors are still keen to get their hands on a copy as the old coin is so rare.
The reverse design is a seated figure of Britannia by Christopher Ironside and the obverse design is a portrait of Elizabeth II by Raphael Maklouf.
Out of the top ten rarest, it’s the least valuable though, with one listing on eBay only closing on £16 after seven days of bids.
10. Commonwealth Games Scotland £2 – worth £31
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Out of all of the valuable Commonwealth coins, Scotland’s take is the least rare.
The coin has a mintage of 771,750, which is 286,250 more than was released of the rarest Irish version.
It features pretty much the same design as the other coins in the series but denotes the Scottish flag instead of the alternate designs of the other regions.
Bidders on eBay have still paid higher than face value for the coin though with a recent auction on the site concluding on £31.
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