The 5 rarest and most valuable coins revealed worth up to £430

RARE coins can often fetch thousands so it’s definitely worth double-checking to see if you have any lying around.

There are certain things you can look out for when rummaging through your spare change to make sure you don’t miss out.

You will need to know how to spot a rare coin and you can do this easily by researching on The Royal Mint or other coin expert websites.

Searching for valuable coins on auction sites and eBay can also give you an idea of the kinds of coins to look out for and their potential value.

It is not only coins, notes can also be worth tens of thousands of times their face value.

Here we reveal the ten rarest and most valuable coins, with some up to a whopping £250.

1. Single Market 50p – worth £33

This coin was minted in 1992, making it a lot older than others in The Royal Mint’s top 10.

Only 109,000 were produced – that makes it the rarest coin currently in circulation.

Bidders are willing to spend a pretty penny on it too – we found a circulated coin which attracted two bids and sold for £32.99 on September 26.

Collectors are also keen on the coin’s “double dated” design with “1992” and “1993” both featuring in the production.

2. Kew Gardens 50p – worth £250

The 50p Kew Gardens coin features the Chinese Pagoda at the famous London landmark of the same name and makes it into the top three of the rarest coins out there as there are so few of them.

Just 210,000 were released into circulation in 2009.

It’s also one of the most valuable due to its recognisable design and low mintage.

We saw a circulate one on eBay that sold for £250 on August 5 and had a whopping 26 bids.

The coin is no stranger to a high bid though, as at The Sun we’ve previously spotted the Kew Gardens 50p selling for as much as £580.

 

3. Great British Coin Hunt Z 10p – worth £14.50

Royal Mint released this coin as part of the full alphabet 10p collection.

This coin in particular celebrates James Callaghan’s iconic black and white pedestrian crossing, to symbolise the Z letter also featured on the design.

The coin, along with the other 25 in the collection, was minted in 2019 – and there were only 220,000 of each one produced.

Because they’re so rare, bidders are sometimes willing to spend more to get their hands on one – we spotted one coin which sold for £14.50 on August 6.

We’ve seen the single coins sell for up to £30 in the past too.

Complete the full alphabet of the coins like one seller had and you could make a whopping £419.99 instead, so it can pay to be patient.

4. Commonwealth Games Ireland £2 – worth £47

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 spotted the coin selling for as much as £47 on eBay recently with 19 bids.

There’s more money in the complete set though, as one seller proved when they sold all four coins for a whopping £100.

5. Commonwealth Games Wales £2 – worth £18.50

The second rarest Commonwealth £2 coin was the Wales version and 588,500 of these were minted.

The Commonwealth Games Wales £2 was also launched in 2002, this time the only difference is the little Welsh flag marked on the design.

We spotted one that sold for £18.50 on October 2 but they have been known to go for £64 in the past – 32 times the coin’s face value.

 

How do I find out what my coin is worth?
You can compare rare coins on online auction sites to get an idea of how much they might be worth.

Websites like Coin Hunter and even The Royal Mint itself can help verify any loose change you’ve got.

Remember though if you are looking to sell a coin the price you get depends on what someone is willing to pay on the day.

Sometimes buyers pull out after an auction has ended too, so the coin may not have actually sold for the price it says it did.

Also, keep an eye out for fake coins, as they do exist, so make sure that you do your research and seek a professional opinion if necessary.