You could be sitting on a fortune without even realising it – especially if you discover this little gem of a coin in your change. It sums up the reason many collectors are after it
Rare coins are certainly worth keeping an eye on – as the odd 20p or 50p could be “skyrocketing” in value. There’s plenty of rare coins which might be in your stash and occasionally they’re worth plenty.
Now if you’ve heard the iconic saying – ‘find a penny, pick it up’, you’ll be amazed as to how much this specific coin can be worth. A penny coin holds a staggering value of £72,000 and it’s actually the “rarest coin in UK history”. Think the Atlantic Salmon 50p, but even bigger – and slightly harder to locate in your change.
The Instagram user, known as @CoinCollectingWizard, shed light on the 1933 British penny deemed “one of the rarest coins in UK history”.
He told his 37,000 followers it’s a “British penny that could change your life overnight”. He added: “Imagine finding a humble old penny in your change… only to discover it’s worth a fortune.
“That’s exactly the case with the legendary 1933 British penny – one of the rarest coins in UK history.”
The legendary 1933 British Penny: Rarest coin in UK history explained
The collector previously told how only six genuine examples are known to exist. And none of these would have been released for general circulation, but more for ceremonial reasons, sadly.
He added: “If you somehow stumbled across one, you could be looking at hundreds of thousands of pounds at auction. The catch? Because they’re so famous, there are far more fakes than real ones.”
Meanwhile, he did warn many replicas would have been struck over the years – so it’s important to have your coin verified by an expert.
He continued: “The 1933 penny is the crown jewel of British coin collecting – but sadly, finding one in your change is like winning the lottery… twice.”
This special coin is known as the 1933 George V penny which experts believe holds an estimated value of £72,000.
The reason it’s incredibly rare is because there are very few of them around and weren’t intended for circulation. It means they would never have been issued to the public.
Some of these are “uniface”, that is they are single-sided, the opposite side remaining blank.
How to spot rare coins: Key errors and dates to look for
Identify the coin first: Check if the piece is rare by looking at the date.
Check the mintage: This refers to the total number of coins produced with that specific design and date. Lower mintage figures means a higher likelihood of rarity.
Scan for any errors or marks: Off-centre strikes, double-struck images, missing text or any mint marks can determine its value. Mint marks are tiny letters, and often not many error coins are produced which makes them sought-after.
Verify and value: If you suspect your coin is rare and valuable, speak to a professional or visit an auction.
