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Have you ever wondered whether that old box of coins you’ve got stored in the loft has any value? Now could be the time to find out, as high-value coins are hitting the headlines.
For instance, a rare 50p piece with a distinctive manufacturing flaw recently sold for £1,500.
However, that doesn’t beat the story of one lucky Hull resident, who discovered a coin in her collection worth a huge £100,000.
The Rawlins’ Crown coin was valued by experts at Vintage Cash Cow, who told Saga Money: “Only 100 coins of its kind were ever made. [The coin] dates back to the 17th century during Charles I's reign, which makes it an unbelievable find.
“It was found in a box full of various coins that [the owner] inherited from her grandfather.”
More than 30 billion coins are estimated to be in circulation in the UK. Given the Royal Mint has been creating (known as striking) coins since AD 886, some you might have stashed away will no longer be legal tender – yet could still be worth something.
Of course, the chances of sitting on a fortune are slim. But even so, you might be holding on to an old coin (or perhaps a rare new one) that’s more valuable than you realise.
Both the condition of the coin and its rarity can be an indicator of its value. Often you’ll hear about the ‘mintage’ of a coin, defining how many were made - ‘low mintage’ can be a signifier of value for a certain type but it entirely depends on how many are usually struck of that particular coin.
“Clearly, a coin that looks as if it has just been minted is of greater value than a similar coin that is extremely worn,” says Tony Clayton, creator of coins-of-the-uk.co.uk. “Again, a coin that has low mintage will be worth more than one where millions were struck.”
It can be harder to find the mintage figures of old coins, but the numbers of different coins currently in circulation are available on the Royal Mint website.
“Records of mintage figures for older coins are either non-existent or inaccurate,” says Antony Charman, Founder at Vintage Cash Cow. “But if you have an old coin, chances are it will be scarce due to its age anyway, so more than likely it will be of value even if you struggle to find out its mintage.
“A very old Victorian-era coin from 1882, for example, will have low mintage as many of the coins from this time period will have been lost as they’re no longer in circulation. A Queen Victoria silver half crown, selling online, is going for nearly £80 - and it would be a lot higher if it were in better condition.”
Coins made to commemorate a significant historical event, such as a coronation or royal death, are often made in limited quantities and are – therefore – more valuable.
"A good example is the Kew Gardens 50p in 2009 with just 210,000 struck for circulation compared to several million for most other commemoratives,” says Clayton.
“I once worked out that in hunting for this coin I would need to examine £4,600 worth of 50p’s to find one, and that assumed nobody had taken any out of circulation! I did once find one in change.”
A gold-proof version of the Kew Gardens 50p coin sold at auction for £6,800 in 2023 and, if you find one today, it can be worth over £150, depending on condition.
Supply and demand can also affect a coin’s value. The more demand for a particular coin, the higher a price you’ll be able to command. “There are more collectors of commemorative 50p coins than of 2p coins, or 3rd Century Roman bronze coins, for example,” says Clayton.
You could also be in luck if you own any coins made of gold or silver. Many British coins were made (often partly) of these precious metals before decimalisation in 1971.
“Right now, gold prices are at an all-time high, so it’s a great time to cash in on any old sovereigns you may have bought years ago or, if lucky, perhaps inherited,” says Jim Tannahill, Managing Director, from pawnbroker Suttons and Robertsons.
Treasure seekers should also keep an eye out for minting errors. Few coins featuring mistakes now make it into circulation, but you might spot them on older coins.
Jon White, Director at The Britannia Coin Company, says: “In the past, production mistakes were more common, leading to coins with unusual features, including design variations, wonky strikes, doubled impressions, cracks and even examples missing one side of the design.”
However, he also warns: “While an error can add value to a coin, it can be easy to mistake damage or wear for a genuine manufacturing flaw.”
While it can be exciting to find a coin that has minting errors, as they were quite common in years gone by, some aren’t worth much at all. However, there are a few examples of coins with mistakes that have sold well, and it’s always worth finding out if you’ve got something valuable.
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According to the Royal Mint, some of the most valuable coins to look out for include:
Wreath Crowns are another one to look out for, according to White. “Crown coins fell out of circulation in the early 20th century, but a small number were struck each year in the late 1920s and early 1930s. These were given to favoured clients of the Bank of England as a special Christmas present.”
If you have one of these, they can be sold for hundreds of pounds, depending on condition and year struck.
If you’ve done your research and think you’ve got a coin worth a decent amount, the next step is to get it verified.
The best thing is to ask a professional to give you an estimate – you can even send them to specialists for free analysis.
White says: “Speaking with a reputable coin dealer can be the most straightforward solution for a guaranteed price and a fast sale.
“The British Numismatic Trade Association (BNTA) maintains a list of established dealers who have signed up to a strict code of ethics.
“A good coin dealer should provide a free valuation that you can compare with other offers before making a final decision.”
Royal Mint also offers a valuation service exclusively for pre-1971 coins, while Britannia Coin Company has a pre-decimal calculator that you can use to calculate the value of your coins by weight.
You could even approach an antiques dealer to see how much they’ll offer you.
Alternatively, White says: “You may be able to achieve more by selling your coins at auction. Most auction houses in the UK will offer free valuations, either via drop-in sessions at their offices or in your home, if you are trying to value an extensive collection.”
Another option is to see what your coins are worth on eBay. However, White warns: “Some unscrupulous sellers place high prices on common coins, looking to catch new collectors out.
“These prices rarely represent the average market value, which can be better estimated by looking at what similar coins are actually selling for.”
You can do this by searching eBay for your chosen coin, then clicking the ‘advanced’ option to the right of the search bar. From here, you can choose to include ‘sold’ and ‘completed’ items, giving you the actual sale prices – take an average of these and you'll get a better idea of how much you could achieve.
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