A LUCKY brit noticed an error on a rare UK 10p coin that fetched an eyewatering £380 – here’s how to spot one for yourself.
The coin, minted in 1973, appeared to display the standard design of that era.
It bears the engraving of a crowned lion and the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II.
But, an eagle-eyed owner realised something different about its colour which made it unusual.
It had a bronze-brown hue, which suggested it wasn’t a typical 10p.
Expert analysis went on to discover it was actually crafted rom 97 per cent copper.
This made it stand apart from the expected cupronickel composition.
The Royal Mint confirmed the error in 1974, and explained: “This coin was produced at the Royal Mint but was struck, inadvertently, on a bronze coin-blank intended for another denomination.”
The super rare coin went under the hammer at RWB Auctions, in Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire.
It is understood there has only ever been one other copper 10p coin from that era sold at auction.
The coin’s owner spotted the abnormality around 50 years ago, but held on to it until now.
Christopher Collects, a coin expert and popular YouTuber associated with RWB Auctions, said: “We’re very pleased that the owner of this fascinating coin has achieved such a good price after holding onto it for so many years.
“It’s proof that checking your change with an eagle eye can still turn up rare and unusual coins.”
The Sun recently found four rare coins that sold for a combined total of £423.59 this June.
The Atlantic Salmon piece features a portrait of King Charles III on the front, while the back of the coin depicts the fish leaping from the waves.
Research by Change Checker found only 200,000 of these coins have entered circulation, making it one of the rarest coins in the UK.
The group said only around one in 335 people in the UK could have the chance of snagging one.
And it appears collectors are prepared to pay a pretty penny for one of these coins.
On Saturday, June 21, a seller managed to flog an Atlantic Salmon coin for £70.59. That makes it 141 times its face value.
That was after a fierce bidding war with 18 wannabe buyers.
The second, was a Kew Gardens 50p coin, which has an image of the late Queen Elizabeth II, with the engraver’s initials, Ian Rank-Broadley, below.
But what makes it special is the reverse, which features a leafy vine wrapped around a Chinese pagoda.
It also has the date of the year it was made to commemorate the anniversary.
There are around 210,000 of these coins in circulation making it another rare find.
Recently one of these coins sold for £127.08 on June 22 after 16 people tried to bid for it.
That makes it a whopping 254 times its face value.
But in the past, Kew Gardens coins have sold for up to £700.
The third, a coin known as the Offside Rule 50p, is one of twenty-nine commemorative 2012 Olympic 50ps issued by The Royal Mint.
The design was created by Neil Wolfson, a sports journalist and features a diagram to show how the Offside Rule works.
Around 1.2million of the Olympic Football 50p’s were put into circulation, so you might have a better chance of finding one lying around your house.
On June 22, one of these coins sold for £17.59 after eight bids.
On this occasion, the coin has sold for over 35 times its face value.
But in the past, it has sold for £24 so there is a chance you get more depending on collectors’ interest at the time.
And finally, the Blue Peter 50p coin, released in 2009 ahead of the London Olympic games in 2012.
It features a cartoon of a high jumper on the back, with the design etched by a nine-year-old girl.
Over 2.2million of the Blue Peter 50p coins were issued, with most minted in 2011.
In the past, this coin has sold for up to £223.
On Sunday June 22 The Sun spotted one of these coins sold for £208 after an eight-person bidding war.
On this occasion, the Blue Peter coin has sold for 416 times its face value.
What are the most rare and valuable coins?
- Five rarest coins – do you have one?
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- How valuable are the rarest £1 coins?
- Most rare and valuable 50p coins in circulation
- Rare and most valuable 20p coins that could be worth up to £750
- Rarest 10p coins in circulation
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- How to check if you have a rare and valuable banknote
