RUMMAGING in your spare change could be worth it if you come across a rare and valuable coin.
Some of your old shrapnel could in fact be worth much more than its face value if collectors are racing to bag it for their hoard.
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If you come across the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) 50p coin, you’ll want to know if it’s worth a mint too.
This special coin was released in 2011, and features the famous WWF panda logo in the middle.
There’s 50 other animals surrounding it including elephants, birds, polar bears and butterflies.
But is it worth a small fortune? We explain all you need to know.
How much is the WWF 50p?
Around 3,400,000 of these coins were released into circulation in 2011, making it the ninth rarest 50p there is, according to Change Checker.
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If a coin is rare, there are not many of them about – and the WWF 50p is one of the least likely coins you’ll come across in your spare change.
But a coin not only needs to be rare to increase its value – it needs to be scarce too.
That means a lot of people want them.
According to Change Checker’s Scarcity Index, WWF coins are not the most highly sought after coins.
They are ranked 15th on the index – with 100 being the most in demand coin there is (the Kew Gardens 50p).
But collectors will stay pay up for a WWF coin to add to their collection.
The Sun spotted uncirculated coins being flogged for a tenner on eBay recently.
While ones in circulation can go for around a fiver on the site.
Rare coins and valuable notes – is yours worth a mint?
How to check if your small change is worth anything
If you think you’ve struck gold sifting through your spare change, you might be able to make a real mint.
You can check how much the coin is selling for on eBay, by searching the full name of the coin, select the “sold” listing and then toggle the search to “highest value”.
It will give you an idea of the amount of money that the coin is going for. But it’s not always the case that a coin has sold for the amount is was listed for.
Coins are really only worth what someone else is willing to pay for it.
When trying to bag yourself some rare coins you should be wary of fakes online.
There is no guarantee an eBay seller’s coins are legitimate, but checking the reviews and sellers ratings can help.
If you want to check if your coins are real or valuable you can talk to experts at Coin Hunter or the Royal Mint.
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