Latest news with #CoinCollectingWizard
Daily Record
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Check your change for 'rarest' 50p piece that's the 'Holy Grail of coin collecting'
An expert has spoken about the 'ultra rare' 50p coin that collectors all want to get their hands on. While we move more and more towards a cashless - or at least mostly-cashless - society, notes and coins are becoming less common in daily life. It used to be the case that everyone would have a mixture of fivers, tenners, and coins of all descriptions in their wallets, purses, and pockets. But with card transactions dominating in-person payments, many of us have no cash on us day to day. If you do have a stash of loose change somewhere, whether at the bottom of your purse or in jar at home, it might be worth looking closely at the coins, as you may unknowingly have a rare piece among them. These sought-after coins can be worth far more than their face value, and this is especially true for 50p pieces, which can be bought for hundreds of pounds by keen collectors. Factors such as their mintage and condition will impact how much you could get for certain items. When coins are released by the Royal Mint, certain limited edition pieces have a much higher value than others. As reported by The Mirror, one expert has identified what he believes to be the "rarest" 50p piece - the Kew Gardens 50p. There are just 210,000 in circulation and, as they can be difficult to spot for the untrained eye, you may have inadvertantly had one in your possession.. There are a few things to look out for to check if you have a Kew Gardens 50p. In a video released on TikTok last June, @CoinCollectingWizard spoke about the rare design. In the clip, the TikToker - who boasts almost 250,000 followers - said: "The Kew Gardens 50p hit the headlines in February 2014 when it was revealed as the most scarce 50p in circulation. "At the peak of the hype surrounding its value, some coins were exchanging hands for hundreds of pounds. This coin was reissued in 2019 as part of the 50th anniversary of the 50p celebrations, the 2019 version of this coin was a commemorative issue and did not enter general circulation. "A circulated version of the 2009 Kew Gardens 50p can easily sell for £150 today, a graded uncirculated version can sell for double this." First launched in 2009 as part of the celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the Royal Botanic Gardens in London, it features a Chinese pagoda building. This served as a chamber for Princess Augusta, the founder of the park, with the late Queen Elizabeth II's profile on the other side. It is one of the most sought-after pieces in coin-collecting circles in the UK, with one being sold for £205 in 2023 - more than 400 times its face value. @CoinCollectingWizard continued: "Just 210,000 Kew Gardens were minted for circulation in 2009 and has become the Holy Grail of UK coin hunting. So next time you are at the shop, make sure you ask for 50p coins in your change as you just never know when this ultra rare 50p might crop up." Since the video was shared, the post racked up over 23,000 views, with hundreds of likes and dozens of comments. One user said: "Got this one!" While another added: "I have 2x 2009, took me 20 years to find them!" Speaking exclusively our sister title with Mirror, @CoinCollectingWizard added: "Spotting a fake/copy version of a Kew Gardens is normally quite obvious. "If you look under the Queen's neck there are letters IRB which is the designer's initials. If it says IRB copy then it's fake. The other way is always on the Queen's side. No detail in the Queen's hair and crown." Where to find Kew Gardens 50p coin @CoinCollectingWizard said: "Best place to find Kew Gardens is trying to get bags of 50ps from your Post Office or bank as you have a higher chance of finding one if you are looking through lots." Speaking about the most expensive version of the commemorative coin, he continued: "It's the gold proof version that originally sold for around £700 and recently £6,000 at auction." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
The £2 coin worth an incredible £1,000 if it has an error
An expert shared exactly how to spot this valuable error coin An expert has urged people to keep an eye out for a rare £2 coin that could be worth £1,000. This piece, from 2014, is highly sought after by collectors due to a specific error. The coin was created to commemorate the start of the First World War. On its reverse (the tail side) it features the image of Lord Kitchener, the former British Secretary of State for War. While this may be 'easy to spot' in your change, it is only particularly valuable if it has the error. An expert, known online as the Coin Collecting Wizard, explained: 'The Lord Kitchener £2 coin from 2014 is easy to spot with its bold 'your country needs you' design. 'And most of them are only worth £2 but there's a rare error version that collectors go crazy for.' This error can be found on the obverse of the coin (the head side). He continued: 'On the Queen's side the words 'two pounds' are supposed to be there but on some they're completely missing. 'his little mistake turns an ordinary coin into something worth over £1,000. 'So next time you're checking your change take a proper look, you might just be holding a small fortune without even knowing it. Just remember it's only the rare mule error that's worth serious money - that means the coin must be completely missing the 'two pounds' wording on the Queen's side. 'If your coin has the full design with £2 clearly shown then it's just the standard version and worth exactly that, £2.' He issued a warning: 'Don't get caught out by listings online trying to sell the regular ones for silly prices, it's the error that makes the difference.' In February last year a misprinted Lord Kitchener £2 coin sold for a staggering £1,000 at auction. Prior to being sold it was authenticated by the Royal Mint, according to This Money. There have only been two reports of these error coins being found in circulation. Lockdales Auctioneers officiated the sale of one back in March 2020 to the value of £500.
Daily Mirror
14-06-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
Two 'old' UK pennies worth over £100,000 - how to spot them
Both of these coins are extremely rare making them highly sought-after An expert has urged Brits to keep an eye out for two coins that combined could be worth a life-changing amount. These pre-decimal pennies, dated 1919 and 1933, might fetch more than £101,000 to collectors. In both cases it is their rarity that makes these pieces so sought after. And while they are no longer in circulation, there is still a chance they could show up in an attic or old coin jar. Speaking in a video uploaded to social media platform TikTok, an expert known online as the Coin Collecting Wizard explained what to look for. He said: 'Who remembers these predecimal pennies? Check out these rare ones.' Firstly he described what is known as the 1919 KN penny. The expert said: 'The 1919 KN penny is a rare and highly sought after coin among collectors and one to definitely keep an eye out for.' Unlike most other penny coins of the era it features the initials 'KN' on its reverse side (tails side). This is because it was produced by the King's Norton Mint rather than the Royal Mint. He continued: 'Struck at the King's Norton Mint, hence the KN Mint Mark below the date, it was part of a limited batch produced when the Royal Mint outsourced some coin production after World War One. While not all 1919 pennies are rare, the KN variety is much harder to find, especially in high grades.' If you find this coin in great condition you could be able to sell it for more than £1,000. He said: 'In mint or uncirculated condition this penny can fetch well over £1,000 making it a valuable piece of British numismatic history. 'Its scarcity, historical context and distinctive mint mark all add to its appeal for collectors.' Next, he spoke about the infamous 1933 penny. It is highly unlikely that you would find one in your change as it is thought only seven were ever made. This occurred because there was no requirement for new pennies in that year. The coin features Britannia on its reverse and a depiction of George V on the obverse (head side). It could be worth an impressive £100,000 due to its rarity. He said: 'The 1933 penny, yeah you are not going to find this one as only seven are known to exist but if you did then you are looking at over £100,000.'
The Sun
10-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Three ‘random old coins' you could have buried at the bottom of a jar worth £100,000 – exact details to look for
A COIN-collecting expert has said Brits could be sitting a goldmine of old currency. TikToker CoinCollectingWizard highlighted three coins - one of which is still in active circulation - which could collectively be worth hundreds of thousands of pounds. 1 1933 penny The first, the 1933 penny, is one of the UK's rarest coins and is worth well over £100,000. The exact number minted is unknown, but it is believed only six or seven 1933 pennies were ever made, as that year the Royal Mint decided there were enough pennies in circulation. However, it was tradition for the monarch to put a set of new coins underneath the foundations of any important new buildings. That meant a handful were struck for ceremonial purposes. The coin's rarity attracted the attention of criminals and in August 1970 thieves raided the coins buried beneath the foundation stone of the Church of St Cross, Middleton, near Leeds. That prompted the bishop of nearby St Mary's Church in Kirkstall to have the coins under his church dug up to be sold. The third and final penny is buried somewhere under Senate House at the University of London in Bloomsbury. At auction the 1933 pennies have sold for over £100,000. Neil Paisley, managing director of AH Baldwin & Sons, told the YouTuber Tom Scott that one sold in 2016 for a hammer price of approximately £140,000. The penny's value has also frequently led to counterfeit attempts, with people attempting to change the 5s to 3s on the more common 1935 penny. The Coin Collecting Wizard said: "Be careful, many fakes are out there. If you think you've got one, get it authenticated." 1905 half crown The second coin mentioned by the TikTok coin enthusiast is the 1905 half crown. Only 166,008 were minted, which puts their value between £450 and £10,000 depending on condition The coin is made of silver and features a portrait view of King Edward VII on one side and a shield on the other. While few members of the public are likely to have a 1905 half crown buried in the bottom of the wallet or down the back of the sofa, the third coin is one the average person is much more likely to run into. What are the most rare and valuable coins? The most valuable coin of all-time The 1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle - $18.9 million. The current record for the world's most expensive coin. It is illegal to own. The only publicly traded example sold for $18.9 million in 2021. The rarest coin of all-time The 1343 Edward III Florin - also known as the "Double Leopard", it was minted during King Edward III's reign in medieval England and only three examples are known to exist today. 2p - 'NEW PENCE' The two pence coin was introduced in the UK in 1971. It was printed with the words 'NEW PENCE' on it until 1982, when it was changed to 'TWO PENCE'. However in 1983 a number of coins were accidentally issued with the previous 'NEW PENCE' wording. Those 1983 two pences pieces with the 'new' markings are now worth upwards of £1,000. It comes after a for 14 times its face value. A Peter Rabbit coin fetched nearly £2,500 recently.
Daily Mirror
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
50p with unusual error making it worth 80 times its face value
An expert explained how to spot the specific error that makes it so valuable Brits have been told to look out for a 50p coin that could be worth more than 80 times its face value. This coin, from 2017, has sold in the past for as much as £40. But why is it so valuable? It's all to do with a specific error that could be hard to spot. In a video uploaded to social media platform TikTok, an expert called the Coin Collecting Wizard told his followers about the Benjamin Bunny 50 pence piece. The coin was part of a set of four released in 2017 to honour Beatrix Potter's legacy, which also includes Peter Rabbit, Tom Kitten, and Jeremy Fisher. But the Benjamin Bunny coin stands out due to a minting mishap. This error results in Queen Elizabeth II appearing to face the wrong direction. The coin expert said: "Did you know if your Benjamin Bunny 50p has a rotation error, then it's worth a lot more than 50 pence? "So you know what to look for, this 50p error coin is rare all because a part of the design is facing the wrong way." He explained: "The error that's left the Queen's head in a different direction, on the obverse, to the design of Benjamin Bunny on the reverse will have happened in the minting process. "When you flip it round, the Queen should be facing up the same way as Benjamin Bunny. If the Queen is facing any other way, then you have found a very rare rotation error worth money." This coin is still in circulation so it could be hiding in your change. "Error coins are still legal tender, so long as the original coin is still in circulation too," he continued. "That means you could easily come across one in your change. Oftentimes, error coins will sell for a lot more than their face value. "So this is definitely something you need to be looking for as it can be easily missed. So next time you come across the Benjamin Bunny 50p, flip that rabbit over and check the Queen. Good luck." Last year, The Sun highlighted a case where one of these coins fetched £40 - a whopping 80 times its face value of 50p. And in 2021, another coin from the same batch was reportedly snapped up for an eye-watering £255 on eBay. At the time of reporting, a graded edition of this coin was listed on eBay for £312.72.
