• [Dailystar Icon]
• News
• Latest News
• eBay

People urged to check if they have rare 20p coin that's worth a lot more

A rare coin expert reveals a particular coin in circulation that could be worth something special with Brits told to check their spare change to see if they have it

[You might have it ]

You might have it

Brits are urged to check the back of their sofas for spare pennies in a bid to find a rare coin that could make them a small fortune.

Its reported that a rare 20p coin is in circulation that could fetch you a profit. Its thought that 250,000 coins of the Shield 20p design are affected by a particular issue, which means a single one carries a worth of 50.

According to @CoinCollectingWizard, who boasts a sizeable 30,100 followers, theres a certain reason why the 20p coin is worth so much.

He shared on social media: This problem affected less than 250,000 coins of the 136million 20p pieces minted in 2008 and was due to the previous obverse the heads side being used with the new reverse the tails side design meaning the year of issue did not feature at all."

Discussing it further, he added: "Considered by many as one of the holy grails of UK change, collecting the undated 20p is always at the top of any coin collectors' wish list."

[coin]

The coin guru says this coin could be worth something

The Royal Mint also confirmed that its the first time in three centuries where a coin entered circulation without a date, GlasgowLive reported.

Therefore, its no surprise why coin enthusiasts are excited. The Instagram expert added: As you can see from these eBay sold prices, the undated 20p is an easy sell for around 50, so always make sure to check those 20p coins.

The coin ranks amongst the rarest 20p pieces in circulation and proves notoriously difficult to track down. Back in 2008, The Royal Mint altered the design of coins in circulation, which saw the year moved from the back to the front of the coin.

This resulted in a batch of these coins being minted with the wrong old front design, leaving the coin without any date displayed on it.

[It's worth a handful]

It's worth a handful

However, not all coins are worth anything special. TikTok guru @CoinCollectingWizard also warned his 30,100 followers on Instagram about a 1971 penny that people believe is worth a staggering 5million. Sadly though, this is incredibly misleading.

He said: "1971 penny worth 5million! You've probably seen the viral posts claiming that a 1971 1p coin is worth 5 million... but let's get one thing straight: It's NOT true. It's NOT rare. It's NOT valuable."

According to the coin collector, about a million of these coins were minted because it was the first year of decimalisation in the UK. He added: "These coins are incredibly common and are worth exactly what it says on the tin: 1p."

Urging followers to be careful, the coin collector concluded: "There are scammers and fake posts circulating online, especially on social media and dodgy websites, trying to convince people they've got a fortune in their pocket.

"These are designed to trick you, either into handing over money, personal info, or just chasing fake dreams. Always double-check with reliable sources. If it sounds too good to be true... it probably is."

For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletter by clicking here.

[Dailystar Icon]

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Choose Daily Star as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.