An expert explained exactly what to look for
Brits have been urged to keep an eye out for a “small” mark on a penny coin that could make it worth hundreds of pounds. If you find this coin in good condition, you could sell it for £300.
The value of a coin often depends on factors such as its age and rarity. In some cases, it might meet both criteria making it highly sought after by collectors.
In a video uploaded to social media platform TikTok, an expert known as the Coin Collecting Wizard, alerted his followers to a specific coin that can be worth a lot of money. Minted in 1881, this pre-decimal coin features the image of Queen Victoria on one side.
And if you spot a tiny letter on one side, it could mean it’s worth a lot of money. Exaggerating, the expert said: “Find this one penny and become a millionaire today.”
He continued: “Lots of the old British pre-decimal pennies can hold a lot of value. Some dates are super rare, worth a fortune but people do find them from time to time.”
This coin bears the image of Queen Victoria on its obverse side (the head side). On the reverse side (the tail side) is an image of Britannia as a woman holding a trident.
But you need to ensure you check for a tiny “H” initial. This can be found on the reverse side of the coin, below the date.
He said: “The 1881 H penny. The ‘H’ can be found just below the date of 1881. As you can see, the H mint mark, which stands for ‘Heaton Mint’ is very small.
“So look closely. The obverse shows the young head of Queen Victoria or also known as ‘bun head’.” According to the expert, millions of these coins were created.
“Around three million coins were produced in 1881 at the Heaton Mint, but because the coin is so old, it is very hard to find today,” he said. “You will also notice that coins in the 1800s have a slightly different design to the more recent pennies from the 1900s.”
It’s also important to note that the better condition a coin is in, the more it could be worth. He said: “But if you are lucky enough to have this penny, then an uncirculated version can easily sell for over £300.”
His advice is backed by experts at All Coin Values, which said this coin could fetch over £310 if in excellent condition. They said: “The retail value of a 1881 Heaton mint British penny can range from £3 to over £310 depending on grade, condition, desirability, and demand.
“The 1881 United Kingdom penny reverse shows the helmed Britannia seated facing right, holding a trident, hand resting on a shield, with a lighthouse to the left, and ship to the right. The words ‘ONE’ and ‘PENNY’ are to the sides, with the date below.”
