Rarest and most valuable coins that could be in your pocket – do you have one worth £400
IT'S time to raid your piggy bank, you could be sitting on a goldmine.
We've been writing about how your spare change could be worth a small fortune for some time now.
In general, the rarer the coin the more valuable it is.
Coins which have never been in circulation, known as "brilliant unused" or "proof coins" are deemed more valuable than those in your spare change.
These are made by The Royal Mint and are struck at a lower speed with a higher finish.
But even those that have been through around a while and could be found in piggy banks or down the back of sofas could be worth a lot more than their face value.
That's because collectors are often trying to complete their collections and some coins are more sought-after than others.
Coins which errors - ones with subtle and small minting errors - can be worth a lot more money too.
The most collectable coins are usually sold at auction or by specialist coin firms.
But, collectors often lurk on eBay and at car boot sales looking for the coins they need to complete their collections.
Now, we're taking a look at the rarest £1, £2 and 50p coins, as well as those which have been made in error to lift the lid on the most valuable coins.
The rarest £2 coin that sells for £70
Rare £2 coins have hit the headlines this week, with several stories floating about.
The truth is that the index of the most valuable coins has not changed, but there is one coin in particular that you want to keep an eye out for.
There are four variations of the Commonwealth Games £2 coin but the most sought-after is the Northern Ireland one which sells for as much £70 on eBay.
If you've got a full set of the four - Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England - then you can expect to get around £140 for them.
Other rare two quids usually fetch around £6-£8 when they are sold on. Read our guide to the most valuable £2 coins to check how much yours is worth.
The round pound worth £22
The round pound was officially withdrawn from circulation in October 2017 - but just because they've disappeared from your spare change it doesn't stop collectors hunting them down.
It's expected that over the next few years these coins will increase in value too.
The old style £1 coin was first released in 1983 and since then there has been 24 different designs.
The most sought-after is the Edinburgh City 2011 £1 coin, which usually sells for around £22 on eBay.
If you've still got a stash of old £1 coins then check our guide to the most valuable ones to see if they are worth holding on to.
The 50p coin worth £140
It's no surprise that the most coveted 50p coin is also one of the most valuable.
The Kew Gardens 50p regularly sells for around £140 on eBay, while other 50p's only go for around £5 to £6.
The coin was first issued in 2009 but it wasn't until 2014 that it hit the headlines, when it was revealed as the most scarce 50p in circulation.
If you're interested in how much your 50p could be worth, then check out our guide to the most valuable 50p coins.
The "offside" football rule 50p coin worth £27
The football 50p was possibly the most publicised of all the 50p designs, as it features the hotly debated offside rule in the form of a simple diagram.
Designer Neil Wolfson, a sports journalist by trade, chose an image which he felt would encapsulate the sport whilst also provoke discussion.
While it doesn't go for as much as the Kew Garden 50p, it still sells for a respectable £27 on eBay.
The Olympic 50p coin worth up to £150
To celebrate the 2012 London Olympics, The Royal Mint released a 50p piece with 29 difference designs.
A full set of coins could fetch around £35 at auction, or if you own a football, wheelchair rugby, wrestling and tennis piece you could be looking at £3 to £4.
MORE ON RARE COINS AND NOTES
But one London Olympics coin is worth far more if you have it – the original aquatic coin, which shows water passing directly over the swimmer’s face.
It was quickly corrected to remove the waves, but a small number of the original design were produced before being withdrawn, and these coins can fetch a pretty penny.
According to Change Checker, the 50p coins could fetch up to £1,000 - and when we looked on eBay we found one some for £150.
The 1983 'New Pence' 2p coin that's worth £400
Up until 1981, all 2p coins had the words "New Pence" inscribed on the reverse, but a year later The Royal Mint decided to change it to say "Two Pence.”
But, in 1983 The Royal Mint accidentally released a small number of coins which had the old inscription of "New Pence” on them.
A lot of the coins were snapped up by collectors, but if you happen to have one in a penny jar, it could be worth upwards of £400.
If you think you've found a coin with an error read our guide to the most valuable ones.
How can you sell a rare coin if you find one?
For specialist coins, or ones that are much older and have a higher value, speak to an expert. Try a valuation service like Chards.co.uk or ValuemyStuff.co.uk. They will help you work out if it’s worth taking it to auction.
For the more modern coins, like the 50p Kew Garden coin or £2 Mule Britannia, then selling on eBay is a good bet.
Check the auction site to see how much the coin is going for. It’s easy for someone to list a coin for thousands of pounds but the “completed” listings will give you a more realistic idea of the selling price.
Remember to factor in listing fees before deciding whether to sell the coin.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online Money team? Email us at money@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 78 24516