YOU could be missing out on hundreds of pounds of free cash by not checking your change for rare and valuable coins.
Collectors are willing to hand over hefty sums for coins with errors or those that were produced in small numbers, so it’s worth checking your wallet to see if YOU have any.
Some coins are already known to fetch hundreds of pounds at auction, including the Kew Gardens 50p, which is worth £145.
But there are less well known designs that are still worth keeping an eye out for.
The Sun spoke to coin expert Kate Morgan from Change Checker to find out which coins are worth collecting, including a £2 coin which sold for £62.50 and a set of 10p coins that could be worth £145.
The new coins to hold on to
One way to guarantee that you make a profit from selling coins is to set rare ones aside now and wait for their value to increase, Kate Morgan said.
Several coins that entered circulation in the past five years could increase in value in the coming years, she suggests.
Among them is the King Charles 50p coin, which was released in 2023 to mark the coronation of the new king.
Although more than five million of these coins were released, they could rise in value as they mark a historic occasion.
Kate said: “I think as time goes on and we look back at coins for the coronation and Queen’s jubilee they are popular now because they were the first of their kind.
“I think they will become popular because they are so poignant.”
The same is true of the 2022 Platinum Jubilee 50p coin that was released to mark the Queen’s 70 year reign.
More than 2,300,000 of these coins were released into circulation but in December one sold for £5.50 on eBay, ten times more than its face value.
How can I check if my error coin is genuine?
RARE and valuable coins can go for a hefty sum – but how do you know if your coin is the result of a genuine minting error?
The best way to find out if you have an error coin is to send it to the Royal Mint museum, which will analyse it and see if it is a result of a genuine minting error or not.
It’ll normally take a couple of weeks to get the results back to you.
But remember, there’s a difference between a genuine error coin and one that is just imperfect, for example with a design that is not as clear as you’d expect.
And whatever you do, don’t be tempted to splash your cash without evidence from the Mint confirming that it’s a genuine error.
Go for a full set rather than one rare coin
Coins that are sold in a set could be worth more money at auction, Kate suggests.
For example, The Royal Mint has released four Paddington Bear 50p coins into circulation.
Two of the coins were released in 2018 and feature images of Paddington at a train station and waving a flag outside of Buckingham Palace.
Meanwhile, a further two coins were released the following year and show the beloved bear at the Tower of London, while another depicts him lifting his hat outside St Paul’s Cathedral.
The 2018 Paddington at the Station 50p has the lowest mintage figure of the series, with 5,001,000 in circulation.
The coins can fetch around £2.50 each but a set of four was bought for £16.32 last year in May by a seller on eBay.
Other popular sets include the Beatrix Potter 50p coins, which were first released in 2016 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of her birth.
The 15 coins featured popular characters from her books, including Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddle Duck and Mrs Tiggy Winkle.
Only 13 of the coins entered circulation, while two were released in commemorative versions.
A lot of the coins have been snapped up by collectors, but it is still possible to find some in circulation.
Different numbers of each coin were minted, which means some of them are easier to find in your change than others.
Just 1.4million of the Flopsy Bunny 50p and Peter Rabbit 50p coins were minted.
How do I know how much my coin is worth?
You can compare how much rare coins sold for on online auction websites to get an idea of how much they could be worth.
Websites including Change Checker and the Royal Mint can help you verify any loose change you have.
Always remember that a coin is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it on the day.
Sometimes buyers pull out of an auction after it has ended, so the coin may not have actually sold for the price it says online.
Watch out for fake coins and speak to a professional if you are unsure.
Around, 25million of the Benjamin Bunny 50ps entered circulation, making it one of the highest commemorative 50ps in circulation.
Meanwhile, 10p coins have also become popular with collectors.
Among them are the A-Z 10p coins, which were released between 2018 and 2019.
In total 26 coins were released – one for every letter of the alphabet.
Each coin shows something that is considered to be British, such as the Angel of the North, Union Jack or cricket.
Collectors raced to get their hands on all 26 of the coins, which means many of them disappeared from circulation.
A set of all of the coins sold for £145.02 on eBay last year, despite only having a face value of £2.60.
It’s not just about looks when it comes to value
The condition of a coin is still important even if it was not released as a collector’s item.
Kate Morgan said: “Look at the condition of the coin.
“Some circulating coins may be really roughed up so they may not be worth as much as a pristine one.”
But a coin’s condition is not the only indication of its value.
A coin could still be valuable if it is very scarce.
For example, it is very rare to find a 2002 Commonwealth Games £2 coin that entered circulation in good condition, but the coins still sell for many times their face value at auction.
A set of four of these coins sold for £62.50 on auction website eBay in October.
How a crown could be the key to a higher value coin
Uncirculated coins are released as collectors’ items and are often made in precious metals such as gold or silver.
The coins are typically made to commemorate historical dates, pop culture moments or fictional characters.
But sometimes these coins make their way into circulation, Kate Morgan explains.
Often coins that are made in commemorative and circulation versions have slightly different designs, so it is important to keep an eye out for them, she warns.
For example, the 50p coins that enter circulation feature a portrait of the king without a crown.
But in the collectors’ version the king is seen wearing a crown.
“If you find a 50p coin where the king is wearing a crown then it is not supposed to be in circulation and could be more valuable,” Kate warns.
A circulated King Charles III coronation 50p previously sold for £4.05 but one of the uncirculated coins sold for £12.57 last year on eBay.
Undated 20ps and Paddington error coins that could make you a mint
When checking your change make sure to keep an eye out for errors, Kate suggests.
Among the most sought after by collectors is an undated 20p coin, which was accidentally released in November 2008.
Less than 250,000 of the 136 million 20p coins minted in 2008-09 contain this mistake, making them very valuable.
Kate said: “These coins are not meant to be in circulation but are. They have no date on either side due to a die error.”
Although the coins are legal tender and have a face value of 20p, one sold on eBay for £97.08 in November.
Meanwhile, collectors have also raced to get their hands on a First World War Navy £2 coin which was minted in 2015.
Due to a cracked die during minting, some of the designs look as if they have a flag flying at the top of the mast of the ship.
One of the coins sold for £54 on eBay last year – £52 more than its face value.
Meanwhile, eagle-eyed collectors have spotted an error on some of the 2018 Paddington at the Palace coins.
Collectors have called it the ‘crisp packet error’ as the error looks like a crumpled up crisp packet.
It is thought to be due to a cracked die, causing the metal to pool.
It is not known how many Paddington at the Palace 50p coins including this error.
But if you have one in your collection then it could be worth £2.11 – £1.61 more than its face value.
How to sell rare and valuable coins
There are two main ways you can sell rare coins – through eBay or via auction.
There are risks if you want to sell a coin you have found in your spare change on eBay.
Make sure to set a minimum price that is higher or at least equal to the face value of the coin.
Plus, even if your coin sells for a high price there is no guarantee that the buyer will actually send you the money.
In its terms and conditions eBay warns that bidders enter into a “legally binding contract to purchase an item” but there is no way to enforce it.
The most eBay can do is add a note to the account of the unpaid item or remove their ability to bid and buy.
This is because users do not need to enter valid bank or PayPal details in order to sign up to the website and make a bid.
If a bidder refuses to pay then the only option for a seller is to give them a “second chance offer” to other bidders or re-list the item.
For items of high value, eBay suggests that sellers put a limit on their listing to just approved bidders.
It means bidders must email you before they can place a bid.
If you want to sell a coin at auction then you can contact a member of the British Numismatic Trade Association.
This group represents eighty numismatic companies in the UK and can value very old coins for you.
They can then help you work out if a coin is worth selling at auction or if it would be valuable to a collector.
They usually charge a fee for the service or take a percentage of the sale money.
You usually need to take your coin to one of their experts so they can assess it.
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