LOOKING closely at your change could really pay off if you spot specific dates on rare coins.
A coin with a minting error could be worth a small fortune because very few actually make it into circulation – but there are exact dates to look out for.
These types of coins are very attractive to collectors who are sometimes willing to pay large sums for one.
You can make money from these rare coins by selling them at auction, either online or in person, or through a dealer.
The price of a coin varies based on things like demand at the time and how common it is.
It's important to remember that you aren't guaranteed to fetch huge amounts if you do choose to sell your change.
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Anyone can list a coin on eBay and charge whatever amount they wish, but it's only ever worth what someone is willing to pay.
By checking the recently sold items you will get a more accurate indication of what people are willing to pay for a specific coin.
Coin experts including those at Change Checker and TikToker The Coin Collector have shared the rarest error coins that could fetch you as much at £1,000.
Here are the exact dates to spot on rare error coins.
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H.G. Wells £2
6This £2 coin launched in 2021 to mark 75 years since the death of the science fiction novelist HG Wells.
Like other £2 coins, it is made from two metals – a silver coloured cupro-nickel disc surrounded by an outer yellow nickel-brass ring.
But it appears that some may have been minted with a thicker yellow ring, wider than a normal £2 coin
Rachel Hooper at ChangeChecker told The Sun that if a coin with this error was to be sold at auction, it could fetch more than £1,000.
This is because they were only available to buy directly from the Royal Mint and not widely circulated.
Any error versions will have only been available to buy on their release in January 2021.
Although they haven't been launched into circulation, that doesn't mean one couldn't accidentally end up in your change though.
New pence 2p
TikTok account @thecoincollectorUK recently shared a video encouraging viewers to look down sofas for any 2p coins they have lying about.
The video said: "The 1983 version is the one to look out for, it was only in some collector packs and is worth up to £1,000."
This particular 2p coin was made between 1971 and 1981 and had "new pence" engraved on them.
From 1981, this was changed to "two pence" but because of a printing mistake, some 2p coins from 1983 still have "new pence" on the reverse side.
So you'll need to look out for a coin from 1983 that says "new pence" – other coins won't be worth anything more than 2p.
According to Change Checker, this 2p has been sold from anywhere between £500 and £700, though some lucky people have sold it for £1,000.
Navy £2
There are two different design variations of the 2015 Navy £2 coin that were released into circulation.
The original Navy £2 design show the coin without any markings on the top right of the mast, while the other appears to have a flag flying.
Kate Morgan of Change Checker previously told The Sun: Collectors speculated that two different designs were struck, but it was later confirmed as a striking error caused by a cracked die."
It is unknown how many of these error coins are in circulation, but Kate says it is worth checking the ones in your collection.
The worth of these coins varies across eBay, with one going for a fiver on earlier this year and another later selling for £15.85.
So if you bag yourself a 2015 Navy £2, take a special look at the flag, and you could be in for some cash.
Inverted Britannia effigy £2
A small number of 2015 Britannia £2 coins were minted with the Queen's head upside down.
They accidentally entered circulation and they could now be worth a small fortune.
Kate said: "The Queen's head is offset by about 150 degrees compared to the Britannia design on the other side.
"It's thought that the error was caused by a loose die rotating during the striking process."
The coin has a mintage figure of just 650,000, making it one of the scarcest in circulation.
"It's estimated that as few as one in 200 – or approximately 3,250 – of them feature the inverted effigy", Kate added.
When The Sun checked eBay, we found two recent examples when they sold for £125.
'Holy grail' 20p
Another rare error coin to look out for is one with no date at all.
Collectors have been known to search far and wide for the valuable 20p ever since it entered circulation in 2008.
Back then, The Royal Mint decided to change the positioning of the date on every 20p piece, moving it from the back to the front.
But in an accidental error, a batch of between 50,000 and 250,000 coins was released without any date at all.
Kate said: "The undated 20p became the first coin in 300 years to enter circulation without a date, making it highly sought after by collectors."
We checked eBay and found that one of these error coins sold for £69 on June 4.
So have a look at the 20ps in your spare change and if you notice the date is missing you could be quids in.
How to sell a rare coin
There are lots of ways to sell your coin – you can sell it on eBay, through Facebook, or in an auction.
But be wary of the risks.
For example, there are a number of scams targeting sellers on Facebook.
Crooks will say they're planning to buy the item, and ask for money upfront for a courier they'll be sending around.
But it's all a ploy to get you to send free cash to them – and they never have any intention of picking your item up.
It's always best to meet in person when buying or selling on Facebook Marketplace.
Ensure it's a public meeting spot that's in a well-lit area.
Avoid payment links and log in directly through the payment method's website.
Most sellers prefer to deal with cash directly when meeting to ensure it's legitimate.
Perhaps the safest way of selling rare coins is to sell them at auction – to do this, contact The Royal Mint's Collectors Service.
It has a team of experts who can help you authenticate and value your coin.
You'll need to enquire via email, and a member of the valuation team will contact get back to you.
Take a picture of your coin and attach this to the email – you can find the details on The Royal Mint's website.
Be aware that you will be charged for this service though – the cost will vary depending on the size of your collection.
You might choose to use eBay to sell your rare coin.
But take into account that if you manage to sell your item then eBay will charge you 10% of the money you made – this includes postage and packaging.
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Always keep proof of postage to protect yourself from dodgy buyers who may claim they never received their item.
Send the parcel by tracked delivery if you can.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
You can also join our new Sun Money Facebook group to share stories and tips and engage with the consumer team and other group members.
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