Hey there, fellow coin enthusiasts! Did you know that some 5p coins are making waves and causing quite a stir among collectors? Brace yourselves for the coin craze, as we dive into the world of hidden treasures and quirky errors that turn your everyday pocket change into a potential goldmine!
Picture this: a seemingly ordinary 5p coin from 1979, sleek and shiny, but holding a little secret. This coin recently found its way into the spotlight by selling for a whopping £73 at an auction. Why, you ask? Well, it had a quirky minting error that made it ultra-rare and super valuable. Imagine being accidentally struck not once, but twice, on the same side, creating a duo of designs. That’s the kind of charming blunder that collectors go wild for!
Hold on to your coin purses, because it’s not just this particular 5p that’s causing a stir. Many other coins in circulation are playing their cards close to their metallic chests, secretly worth way more than they let on. Trust us, folks, there’s a potential fortune hiding in your pockets!
If you’re thinking of unearthing these treasures, remember that even eBay’s ‘sold for’ prices need a little pinch of skepticism. That said, coin connoisseur Phil Mussel, who also happens to be the marketing director of Token Publishing, assures us that coins indeed hold their value when they’re rare or blessed with charming printing quirks. According to Phil, any mistake is like a golden ticket to collectors’ hearts. Coins with double strikes or other fun errors are like the stars of the coin world.
And let’s not forget those short series coins, minted specially to keep us all on our toes. They’re the VIPs of the coin realm, folks!
Now, let’s talk about some specific coin heroes. There’s a 2008 5p with Queen Elizabeth II’s head turned topsy-turvy, which recently found a cozy new home with a collector for more than £60. If you happen to have a 5p coin from 1993 or 2018, listen up! These coins were like rare unicorns not meant for everyday transactions. A small batch was produced for collectors, and if one of these beauties ends up in your hands, it could mean some serious cash in your pocket.
Once upon a time, the 5p was as common as emojis in texts, but with the rise of debit cards and online payments, the number of 5ps has dwindled faster than an ice cream cone on a hot day. In 2021, only 28 million of these little copper wonders entered circulation, which is a far cry from the 1.5 billion that were minted in 1990.
The A to Z 10p
Now, let’s talk about the other hotshots on the coin scene. We’ve got the ‘A to Z 10p’ squad, a group of 26 coins introduced by The Royal Mint to celebrate the alphabet. These guys are like the rare gems that become rarer over time, as coins are misplaced and meet their end. Coin guru Phil Mussel estimates that there are just around 50,000-60,000 of each of these dazzling designs left.
The 'Kew Gardens 50p'
The ‘Kew Gardens 50p’ is another star in the coin constellation. First making its grand entrance in 2009 to celebrate West London’s iconic landmark, this coin had only 210,000 copies hit the streets. Some lucky folks managed to get their hands on these and sold them for as much as a cool £700! Even the second batch released in 2019 can fetch you up to £80.
Double date £1 coins
But wait, there’s more! The real MVPs of the coin collection world are the ‘mistake coins.’ If you happen to possess a £1 coin dated 2016, take a closer peek. This year marked the debut of the new £1 coin design, but a tiny batch rolled out with a cheeky 2017 date on their faces. Get your magnifying glass ready, because this small blunder led one lucky seller to snatch a staggering £3,000 at an auction!
The Northern Ireland commonwealth £2
Don’t forget about the Northern Ireland Commonwealth £2 coin, a dazzling creation brought forth to celebrate the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Among its siblings, the Northern Ireland version is the elusive one, with only 485,000 in circulation. Believe it or not, these gems are now on auction sites commanding prices up to £85.
'New' 2p Coins
Last but not least, let’s talk about the ‘New’ 2p Coins. Back in the day, from 1971 to 1982, all 2p coins boasted the words ‘New Pence’ on their fronts. Then in 1983, a twist of fate led to a limited batch with the former wording. If you have one of these special 2p coins from 1983, proudly displaying ‘New Pence,’ you could be staring at something worth a whopping £1,000!
So there you have it, fellow treasure hunters. The coin world is more magical and potentially profitable than you might think. Who knew that something as small as a 5p coin could hold so much excitement? Keep those eyes peeled, and you might just stumble upon a pocketful of wonders right in your change!
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