Brits are being encouraged to keep their eyes peeled for a rare penny coin that could be worth a small fortune. This particular bronze coin might rake in as much as £600 at auction due to an unusual error.
Spotting the error might prove challenging, but it’s certainly worth the search. A TikTok creator known as the Coin Collecting Wizard has shed light on this lucrative find in a recent video.
Flashing a 1893 penny to his viewers, he said: “Hey no biggie, just another old penny worth £600. This penny has a date of 1893 and you need to check this one for a very strange error that makes the coin valuable.”
The coin bears the classic depiction of Britannia on its reverse, complete with trident in hand. The obverse showcases the familiar profile of Queen Victoria, often dubbed the “bun head”.
Yet, it’s an anomaly in the date that could significantly increase the coin’s value. He continued: “Known as the ‘1893 over two penny’ what you need to pay close attention to is the number ‘3’.
“As you can see under the number three it looks like there is the start of a number two.” In his demonstration, he pointed out how the ‘3’ in 1893 appears to have an additional line emerging from its centre.
“The best way to notice this is where the three joins up in the middle,” he advised. “If it doesn’t look like they join up neatly then you have found it.
“The obverse of the coin features the usual Queen Victoria bun head and the reverse depicts Britannia seated holding a trident.” He revealed its potential worth to his extensive following of over 240,000.
The expert elaborated: “This is such a difficult error to spot but it is well worth your time as uncirculated versions of this coin have sold for £600. So just remember you are looking for an old English penny from 1893 but that’s only the first part.
“The next bit you need to look for is that ‘three over two error’. Save this for future reference so you know exactly what to look for. Good luck.”
The 1893 penny coin had a production figure of 8,161,737. However, due to its vintage nature, even the non-error versions of this coin could hold significant value.
At the time of reporting, the Dorset Coin Company was selling a mint condition version of the non-error coin for £275.