CASH might be used a lot less nowadays but it’s still worth keeping an eye on your spare change for any rare coins.
In particular, rare £2 pieces have been known to fetch decent sums in the past.
There are 55 different £2 variations in circulation, and it’s possible one in your purse or wallet could be worth up to £44.
Here are the top 11 rarest, according to Change Checker, and how much they have sold for on eBay in recent months.
Of course, always bear in mind that a rare coin is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.
That means you might not always get as much as we’ve detailed below.
1. 2002 Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland – £44
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 £44 on eBay recently after several bids.
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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.
2. 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.
3. 2002 Commonwealth Games Wales – £23.79
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 £23.79 in January this year.
4. London 2012 Handover – £40
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 £40 on eBay this month.
5. Olympic centenary – £9.50
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 £9.50 recently.
6. 2002 Commonwealth Games Scotland – £24.99
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 for the coin though, with a recent auction on the site concluding at £24.99
7. Olympic handover – £10.50
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 £10.50 in November last year.
There are 918,000 of these in circulation.
8. King James Bible – £9.50
Next on the list is a coin showing the King James Bible.
One sold for £9.50 in January on eBay.
According to Change Checker, there are 975,000 in circulation.
9. Mary Rose – £17.95
A circulated £2 showing the famous Mary Rose ship sold on eBay for £17.95 with several bids.
There are just over one million in circulation, and it lands ninth on Change Checker’s scarcity index.
10. 2015 First World War (Navy) – £9
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.
We’ve seen collectors on eBay willing to pay as much as £9 for it in recent months.
11. Great Fire of London – £8
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 £8.50.
How do I find out what my coin is worth?
If you’re lucky enough to find a rare coin in your spare change, it could go for hundreds of pounds depending on how rare it is.
You should check how much the coin is selling for on eBay.
Search the full name of the coin, select the “sold” listing and then filter the search to show the “highest value”.
It will give you an idea of the amount of money that the coin is going for.
But remember, a buyer could always pull out so the coin may not have gone for the price it says it has.
And watch out for fakes too.
You can also use an online tool that gives you an estimate of how much it could be worth on eBay, as well as any other rare coins you have.
Coin Hunter gives you an estimated valuation of your coin based on the average of the most recent sales, as well as a range of how much you can expect it to fetch.
Plus Change Checker’s Scarcity Index will give you a good idea of how rare a coin is.
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