Brits have been advised to keep an eye out for two pre-decimal pennies that could fetch up to £2,600 combined. Although no longer part of circulating currency, you never know, they could be stashed away in attics or inside a coin jar.
However, these pieces are only exceptionally valuable if they have two minuscule letters on one side, rendering them highly sought after by collectors. An expert known as the Coin Collecting Wizard, shared a video on the popular social media platform TikTok, stating: “Thousands of pounds if you have either a 1918 or 1919 old UK penny with this mint mark.”
“As you will be aware if you follow me, there are many pre-decimal pennies from the UK that have some crazy values, but it all depends on the date.” But you need to check for the initials “KN” on both coins to be sure they are collectable.
He went on to elaborate: “Today we discuss the 1919 KN penny, KN meaning King’s Norton Mint,” he continued. “Of the two mints, the King’s Norton is by far the most difficult to get.”
Rather than being produced at the Royal Mint like most coins in the UK, these were created at the King’s Norton Mint in Birmingham. At the time this company was contracted to help keep up with demand for coins.
The expert provided more details: “The obverse [head side] shows a portrait of King George the Fifth by Australian sculptor Bertram MacKennal. George the Fifth was king of the United Kingdom and the British dominions and Emperor of India from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936.
“The reverse [tail side} shows Britannia seated with trident and shield. It is the same as other pennies of that era with the exception of the KN mint mark.”
(Image: Getty)
The distinguishing feature of this coin is the “KN” mark. This can be identified just beneath the shield held by Britannia on the tail side of the coin.
However, a keen eye is required to spot it due to its subtlety. If your coin bears these letters, it could potentially fetch an impressive £2,000 or more.
“If you are fortunate enough to discover the 1919 KN penny, you might be astonished to learn that this coin can command over £2,000 depending on its condition,” he stated. The expert then displayed an image of the 1918 KN penny.
He further elaborated: “Now as with many of these coins, the value is largely contingent on the coin’s condition. A good grade 1918 KN penny can exceed £30, but if the condition improves, such as an extra fine version, you could be looking at over £600.”