RARE coins can often fetch thousands so it’s definitely worth double-checking to see if you have any lying around.
There are certain things you can look out for when rummaging through your spare change to make sure you don’t miss out.
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You will need to know how to spot a rare coin and you can do this easily by researching on The Royal Mint or other coin expert websites.
Searching for valuable coins on auction sites and eBay can also give you an idea of the kinds of coins to look out for and their potential value.
It is not only coins, notes can also be worth tens of thousands of times their face value.
Here we reveal the ten rarest and most valuable coins, with some up to a whopping £250.
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1. Single Market 50p – worth £33
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This coin was minted in 1992, making it a lot older than others in The Royal Mint’s top 10.
Only 109,000 were produced – that makes it the rarest coin currently in circulation.
Bidders are willing to spend a pretty penny on it too – we found a circulated coin which attracted two bids and sold for £32.99 on September 26.
Collectors are also keen on the coin’s “double dated” design with “1992” and “1993” both featuring in the production.
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For example, a double dated coin sold for £56 on August 4.
2. Kew Gardens 50p – worth £250
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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 are so few of them.
Just 210,000 were released into circulation in 2009.
It’s also one of the most valuable due to its recognisable design and low mintage.
We saw a circulate one on eBay that sold for £250 on August 5 and had a whopping 26 bids.
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 £580.
3. Great British Coin Hunt Z 10p – worth £14.50
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Royal Mint released this coin as part of the full alphabet 10p collection.
This coin in particular celebrates James Callaghan’s iconic black and white pedestrian crossing, to symbolise the Z letter also featured on the design.
The coin, along with the other 25 in the collection, was minted in 2019 – and there were only 220,000 of each one produced.
Because they’re so rare, bidders are sometimes willing to spend more to get their hands on one – we spotted one coin which sold for £14.50 on August 6.
We’ve seen the single coins sell for up to £30 in the past too.
Complete the full alphabet of the coins like one seller had and you could make a whopping £419.99 instead, so it can pay to be patient.
4. Commonwealth Games Ireland £2 – worth £47
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In 2002, four different designs of this £2 coin were created to commemorate the Commonwealth games, but the Irish version is the rarest with only 485,500 minted.
We’ve spotted the coin selling for as much as £47 on eBay recently with 19 bids.
There’s more money in the complete set though, as one seller proved when they sold all four coins for a whopping £100.
5. Commonwealth Games Wales £2 – worth £18.50
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The second rarest Commonwealth £2 coin was the Wales version and 588,500 of these were minted.
The Commonwealth Games Wales £2 was also launched in 2002, this time the only difference is the little Welsh flag marked on the design.
We spotted one that sold for £18.50 on October 2 but they have been known to go for £64 in the past – 32 times the coin’s face value.
6. Britannia 5th Portrait £2 – worth £5
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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 but made a reappearance on the sparse collection of £2 coins.
Looking at recent eBay listings though, it isn’t one of the most favoured rare designs.
The most we spotted one of the coins selling for was £5 with one bid on June 6.
7. FWW Navy 5th Portrait £2 – worth £10
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There were also 650,000 of the First World War Navy £2 coins minted in 2015.
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 £10 for the coin on eBay, though – it might not sound an awful lot, but it’s a lot more than its face value.
8. Commonwealth Games England £2 – worth £30
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Another in the 2002 Commonwealth series, the English version is the eighth rarest coin in circulation.
Some 650,500 were minted at the time, making the coin rare enough for eBay bidders to happily pay good money for it.
We also saw one on eBay that sold for £30.12 on August 21 and attracted 11 bids.
The edge of this coin also has the inscription “Spirit of Friendship, Manchester 2002”, which adds appeal to collectors too.
9. Britannia 50p – worth £7
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You might think a Britannia 50p is pretty common – but there are actually a number of different versions in issue, and some are pretty rare.
In 1985 the Royal Mint released a Limited Issue Britannia 50p coin, and only 682,103 were made, so collectors are still keen to get their hands on a copy.
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.
The coin itself is a bit larger than some of the more modern versions – we’ve spotted it selling for £6.99 recently but it has been known to fetch for £10.
10. Commonwealth Games Scotland £2 – worth £16
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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 – some 286,250 more than were released of the rarest Irish version.
It features pretty much the same design as the other coins in the series but the Scottish flag is on the design instead.
Bidders on eBay have still paid higher than face value for the coin though, with one auction on the site concluding at £15.99.
There are plenty of other rare coins that haven’t made the top ten cut of course – rare Blue Peter 50p sold for a whopping £235 on eBay.
How do I find out what my coin is worth?
You can compare rare coins on online auction sites to get an idea of how much they might be worth.
Websites like Coin Hunter and even The Royal Mint itself can help verify any loose change you’ve got.
Remember though if you are looking to sell a coin the price you get depends on what someone is willing to pay on the day.
Sometimes buyers pull out after an auction has ended too, so the coin may not have actually sold for the price it says it did.
Also, keep an eye out for fake coins, as they do exist, so make sure that you do your research and seek a professional opinion if necessary.
How to sell rare and valuable coins
There are two main ways you can sell rare coins – through eBay or at auction.
If you want to sell the coin you’ve found in your spare change on eBay then you need to know the risks.
Remember to set a minimum price that is higher or at the very least equal to the face value of the coin.
Even if your coin “sells” on eBay for a high price there’s no guarantee that the buyer will cough up.
In its terms and conditions, the auction website states that bidders enter a “legally binding contract to purchase an item”, but there’s no way to enforce this rule in reality.
The most eBay can do is add a note to their account of the unpaid item or remove their ability to bid and buy.
This is because in order to sign up to the website users do not need to put in valid bank or PayPal details before making a bid.
If a bidder refuses to pay, then the only option for sellers is to give “second chance offers” to other bidders or re-list the item.
For items of a high value eBay recommends that sellers put a limit on their listing to approve bidders.
It means bidders must email you before placing a bid but not that they must pay out the cash if they win.
If you’ve got a coin that you would like to sell at auction then you can contact a member of the British Numismatic Trade Association.
They usually deal in very old coins but they may be able to help you assess whether it’s worth selling your coin at auction or whether it would be valuable to collector.
They’ll usually charge you a fee for the service or take a percentage of the sale money.
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You’ll often have to visit them in person with the coin in order for them to assess it. Helpfully you can sort the members according the county where they are based.
We’ve searched through the top ten rare coins you might have in your change that could sell for plenty on eBay.
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