Coin experts are urging all of us to check our change for a £2 coin that “could be worth way more” and make us a “quick profit”.
The coin in question is a £2 coin from 2015, and everyone is being encouraged to carry out a simple check to test for a rotation error, that could make the coin worth far more than its face value.
The check involves twisting the coin between your thumb and forefinger to see where the Queen is aligned in relation to the date on the coin.
Coin expert McNeil.Inc.Coins produced a TikTok video explaining why it is important to check for a potential error.
@mcneil.inc 2015 Rotaion Errors making you quick profit #mcneilinc #coincollector ♬ Love You So - The King Khan & BBQ Show
He said: “This is why you should always check your 2015 £2 coins.
“Anytime you see this coin check the date and then do this little check to see if you have an error. You may have a rotation error on your hands.”
He explained that you should place your thumb below the date on the tail side of the coin, and your forefinger above the P at the top of the face.
You should then rotate the coin to the heads side, and if it is a normal coin the Queen will be facing to the right.
If she isn’t, then you could have a much more valuable coin on your hands.
He explained: “If you can find a 2015 coin where she is looking any other way you have found a rotation error.
“This coin on the market will go for anywhere between £10 and £25 depending on the condition.
“Check your 2015s because your £2 could be worth way more, making you a quick profit.”
What makes a coin valuable?
The 50 pence piece has become the most valued and collected coin in the UK, with many collectable designs appearing on its heptagonal canvas.
Its 27.5mm diameter makes it the largest of any British coin, and allows space for decorative pictures. It has often been used to celebrate big events over the past 50 years of British history.
The rarest coins tend to be of the greatest value, with the mintage (number of coins with each design made) being the fundamental attraction for collectors.
Along with the design, other aspects of the coin which increase value are the condition of the coin and whether it has an error in its design.
The way in which it is sold can also determine the coin’s value - while some coin collectors will bid vast amounts of money on ebay or at auction, others opt for more robust valuations by selling via a coin dealer.
Rarest 50p coins in circulation the UK?
The Royal Mint has revealed the most valuable 50p coins in its collection.
The rarest is the Kew’s Garden 50p, which was designed to mark the 250th anniversary of the gardens in 2009. Only 210,000 coins were ever minted with this design.
The Kew Gardens 50p sells for £156.25 on average, but one seller received over £700 for one when they sold it on eBay.
The other rarest coins stem predominantly from the 2011 Olympics, with the wrestling, football and judo coins among the most valuable. Only 1.1million of each of these coins were produced.
Flopsy bunny and Peter Rabbit designs which were produced in 2018 are also highly valuable.
These coins - 1.4 million of which were minted - depict the characters from Beatrix Potter’s novels and celebrate the life of the English writer and these sell for around £5.
In 2019, 500 million coins were produced, with three new 50p designs.
These included one of Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes, Paddington Bear at St Paul's Cathedral and the Tower of London.
Top 10 most valuable 50p coins, according to Royal Mint
Here is a list of the top 10 most valuable coins, when they were made and how many were minted:
- Atlantic Salmon (2023), 200,000
- Kew Gardens (2009), 210,000
- Olympic Wrestling (2011), 1,129,500
- Olympic Football (2011), 1,161,500
- Olympic Judo (2011), 1,161,500
- Olympic Triathlon (2011), 1,163,500
- Peter Rabbit (2018), 1,400,000
- Flopsy Bunny (2018), 1,400,000
- Olympic Tennis (2011), 1,454,000
- Olympic Goalball (2011), 1,615,500
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