YOUR 50p coin could be worth a huge amount of money if it comes with these distinctive markings.
Two ultra rare 50p pieces sold for £2,500 this week – could yours be worth the same?
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The coins were made to commemorate the 2012 Olympic Games and were marked with images of swimmers.
The tail side depicted a swimmer, face down in the water with their goggles on, ploughing to the finish line.
One coin had lines covering the swimmers face, and one without.
The commemorative coins are very rare, as not very many were made ahead of the event, making them all the more valuable.
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A late bidding rush saw the coins eventually sell for £2,500.
It’s probably worth having a dig in the bottom of your purse to see if you have one hiding away.
They were designed in 2011, and previously described by the Royal Mint as “extra special”.
They explained: “The design was created by Jonathan Olliffe, and it depicts a swimmer in action with fluid lines struck into the metal representing the waves.
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“In the rare first design, these lines covered the swimmer’s face.
“Soon after its release, the coin was tweaked to make the face more visible, but not before the first design made it out into the world.
Value of the coin can also be affected by its condition and whether it has any errors in its design.
For example, your £2 coins could be worth eight times their value if they have a “weird smudge” in the top right corner.
A certain Navy £2 coin was minted in 2015 to commemorate the centenary of the First World War.
It shows a Royal Navy dreadnought cruising across the North Sea, and a biplane flying in the clear skies behind it.
When the coin was first released, collectors thought there were two different versions.
Most coins showed the warship sailing with a bare mast – but some appeared to include a flag at the top.
But this flag was in fact just a “smudge” introduced during the minting process.
It is unknown how many of the “error” coins are in circulation, but Kate says it is worth checking your pockets to see if you have one.
The worth of these coins varies across eBay, with one going for a fiver on earlier this year and another later selling for £15.85 – nearly eight times its face value.
The Royal Mint said: “One of the most exciting aspects of this special 50p is that no one knows exactly how many entered circulation before the changes were made, only that numbers are extremely limited.
“This is often the case with error coins, and they immediately become a collectable piece. Few have ever been sold and many take pride of place in private collections, but there’s always a chance this valuable coin could find its way to you.”
Someone recently found an extremely rare coin from 400 years ago and sold it for an eye-watering price.
The lucky seller discovered a six-sided shilling from the 17th century, showing an illustration of a castle destroyed in the English Civil War.
The rare coin was minted during Charles I’s reign as he and his followers battled a revolt led by Oliver Cromwell to take charge of Parliament.
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 out.
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.
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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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