The subtle detail to spot on rare £2 coin that could means it’s worth whopping £1,000 at auction
SPOTTING a subtle detail on a £2 coin could earn you as much as £1000 at an auction house.
Some of the coins with the particular feature have been known to sell for even more - you just need to know what to look for.
1
If you've got some £2 coins floating around your wallet, it's worth checking the inscriptions.
The £2 Lord Kitchener coins were issued in 2014 to mark 100 years since the first World War, with 5,720,000 entering circulation.
But small number of the coins were faulty - and came printed without the "two pound" denomination under Queen Elizabeth II's head.
This may be due to the fact that the dies used to strike the obverse of the Trinity House £2 coin weren't replaced when production of the new coins began.
Coin experts at Changechecker.com say they've only ever heard of two reports of these 'error' coins being in circulation - making them super rare.
They claim Lockdales Auctioneers officiated the sale of the very first one back in March 2020 to the value of £500.
But experts running at CoinCollectingWizard say the faulty £2 has been known to sell for £900 to £1000 - and sometimes even more at auction.
We struggled to see any selling on eBay due to their rarity - but collectors can buy one from the Britannia Coin Company for a whopping £1,200.
Which means if you spot one in your change, the best thing to do is take it straight to an auction house.
Remember that a coin is only worth as much as someone is willing to pay for it.
Other faulty coins which have sold for big money include a rare 1983 20p which was mistakenly struck on a copper-coloured blank.
The coin has been known to upsell for £232 - a whopping 1160 times its price.
And collectors are being urged to check their wallets, as an ultra-rare 50p coin featuring Sherlock Holmes could fetch over £4,000.
The 2019 coin, which depicts the famous detective on one side and Queen Elizabeth II on the other, is currently listed for £4,136.72 on eBay.
Meanwhile, a rare Blue Peter Olympic 50p has been flogged on eBay for £205.
In our article here we list some other rare £2 coins - but make sure to check an official website like Changechecker.com for the most updated league table.
We reveal the most valuable £2 coins and how much they've sold for in the past.
2002 Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland - £60
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 seen this coin listed for as much as £60 on eBay in May with one bid.
There's more money on the line if you've got the complete set though.
One seller proved this right when all four coins went for a whopping £100.
2002 Commonwealth Games England - £35
Another in the 2002 Commonwealth series, the English version is one of the rarest coins in circulation.
Some 650,500 were minted at the time, making the coin rare enough for eBay bidders to happily pay as much as £35 for it.
The edge of this coin also has the inscription "Spirit of Friendship, Manchester 2002", which adds appeal to collectors too.
One recently went on the market on eBay for £27 with one bid.
2002 Commonwealth Games Wales - £27
With only 588,500 put into circulation, the 2002 Commonwealth Games Wales £2 coin celebrates Wales' achievements in the event.
The piece features a figure in motion holding a banner, encircling the Welsh flag.
It is the fourth rarest in the Commonwealth set and the fourth rarest in the overall list.
We've seen one sell on eBay for £26.97 in May this year with 10 bids.
London 2012 Handover - £35
At the end of each Olympic Games, the next host city of the Games is celebrated with a flag handover ceremony.
In 2012 we gave the flag to Rio to take on the next tournament.
That event was immortalised on the design of a £2 coin, with just 845,000 released into circulation.
We saw one sell for £35 on eBay this month after 10 bids.
Olympic centenary - £37.95
Carrying on the sporting theme, the Olympic centenary £2 marked 100 years of the modern games in 2008.
There are 910,000 in circulation so finding one isn't such a tough ask.
We've seen one version sell on eBay for £37.95 in February.
2002 Commonwealth Games Scotland - £24.97
Out of all of the valuable Commonwealth coins, Scotland's is the sixth rarest out of all rare £2 coins.
It has a mintage of 771,750 - some 286,250 more than were released in the 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, we've seen one version sell on eBay for £24.97 in May.
Olympic handover - £9.99
Still in the top ten is the Olympic Handover coin.
This £2 details Beijing in 2008 handing over the Olympics to London in 2012, and shows the Olympic flag and two hands shaking.
One sold for precisely £9.99 in May on eBay with one bid.
There are 918,000 of these in circulation.
King James Bible - £23.95
Next on the list is a coin showing the King James Bible.
One was for £23.95 in May on eBay with one bid.
According to Change Checker, there are 975,000 in circulation.
Mary Rose - £19.50
A circulated £2 showing the famous Mary Rose ship sold on eBay for £19.50.
There are just over one million in circulation, and it lands ninth on Change Checker's scarcity index.
2015 First World War (Navy) - £10.50
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.
One sold on eBay in May for £10.50 with two bids.
Great Fire of London - £14.95
The Great Fire of London £2 coin was first put into circulation in 2016 to mark the 350th anniversary of the historic event.
The reverse side of the piece was designed by Aaron West, depicting the city of London burning.
The coin wasn't always considered so rare, but it has since transpired its mintage figure was incorrectly published.
A recent auction on eBay saw the piece go for £14.95 with one bid.
Rare coins and valuable banknotes can sometimes be worth thousands of times more than their face value.
Often, it's just small differences that make these items so valuable.
The most sought-after coins typically feature low mintage numbers or contain errors, qualities that attract collectors.
To determine if your coin could be worth more, check whether it is still available for purchase in Brilliant Uncirculated quality from an official Royal Mint distributor, as advised by Change Checker.
These certified coins are specially struck to a higher standard, making them distinct from those found in circulation
When valuing a coin, factors like its condition and mintage are crucial, so make sure to do thorough research first.
If you're looking to sell at auction, contact The Royal Mint’s Collectors Service.
Their expert team can help authenticate and value your coin.
To start, email them with a picture of your coin, and someone from the valuation team will get back to you.
Be aware that this service comes with a fee, which varies depending on your collection size.
If you plan to buy coins online, such as from eBay, proceed with caution.
Listings can be misleading, and fakes are common.
Plus, be aware that a buyer may back out of a purchase, leaving the listed price inaccurate.
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.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories
thesun
