These could be worth a lot more than their face value – but you need to check for specific details
People have been told to pay more attention to the change in their pockets as people claim three ‘rare’ coins that might be hiding in plain sight. While they may not appear to be anything remarkable to the untrained eye, coin enthusiasts could be prepared to shell out hundreds more than their usual worth.
If you are fortunate enough to discover all three, they might be worth a substantial sum of cash of more than £1,000 from collectors. However, these coins are called ‘rare’ for a specific reason – and people might need to take a close look at the dates on their change to make sure they’re not holding onto something that’s not going to make them rich quickly.
In a video posted on TikTok, an expert going by the Coin Collecting Wizard told viewers what to look out for, reports the Daily Record. He showed images of the sought-after coins to his audience of over 261,000 followers.
“Have you got any £2 coins?” he asked. “Check out these worth big money – the last one will blow your mind.”
First, he told people to watch for a coin called the ‘Commonwealth Northern Ireland’ that might command up to £65 in reasonable condition.
He said: “This £2 coin known as the Commonwealth Northern Ireland is the rarest £2 coin you can find in your change. With only 485,000 minted it is worth around £35 in uncirculated condition and £65 if brand new.”
This coin, made in 2002, featured one of four distinctive designs, each showcasing a different flag representing the four UK nations. The Northern Ireland version displays the Northern Irish flag on the reverse (tail side), accompanied by a moving figure clutching a banner.
Next up, dating from 2011, is the ‘King James Bible’ coin which displays the opening words from the Book of John on its back side. The coin’s golden rim bears the inscription “King James Bible” and “1611-2011”.
The TikTok continued: “Only 975,000 King James Bible £2 coins are out there in your change. Released in 2011 this is becoming scarcer to find but if you are lucky enough to find it then it is worth around £4 in circulated condition and £20 if brand new.”
The final coin featured is by far the most valuable, with the creator claiming anyone fortunate enough to discover one could potentially earn £1,000 for a Lord Kitchener coin bearing a specific error. This particular coin commemorates 100 years since the start of the First World War.
The video explained: “This is the Lord Kitchener £2 from 2014, but you need to find a rare error version known as a mule error, which makes it worth a grand. If yours doesn’t have the words ‘two pounds’ on the Queen’s side, then you have found the rare error.”
Coin collecting is still an enormously popular pastime that attracts people across all ages, who can also be known as numismatists, to the hobby. The search for scarce, limited-edition, or error coins offers a distinctive challenge and delivers a real sense of achievement for collectors.
According to the Royal Mint, coins rank amongst the most popular collectable collections for Brits to build from scratch – only a few percent behind stamps in popularity. From 2,000 UK-based adults polled, more than four in five (83%) revealed they had collected something during their lifetime.
Whether you’re an established coin collector or a complete newbie, The Royal Mint provides a dedicated UK Coin Collecting hub. It offers beginner’s guides to coin collecting and a platform for purchasing commemorative and historic coin sets.