I’ll make £1,800 from an ultra rare 20p error coin I spotted on eBay – it’ll help pay for my next holiday
A SAVVY dad-of-one snapped up a rare 20p coin that’s set to make him £1,800.
Alun Barker, 45, who lives in Hull, is the only person known in the world to have the ultra rare piece dating from 1990.
The avid coin collector bought the 20p coin back in December 2017 for just £50 on eBay.
However, it’s now expected to fetch many times it’s face value and far more than he paid for it at auction.
Tennants Auctioneers is organising the sale of the coin and it’s expected to fetch Alun £1,800.
Coins with a minting error can be worth a small fortune because very few actually make it into circulation.
These types of coins are very attractive to collectors who are sometimes willing to pay large sums for one.
You can make money from these rare coins by selling them at auction, either online or in person, or through a dealer.
The price of a coin varies based on things like demand at the time and how common it is.
What makes Alun’s coin unique is the type of metal the coin was made from when it was created by the Royal Mint three decades ago.
Rather than being produced with the usual metal planchet – the blank metal disc used to make a coin – that has a silver colour like every other 20p made in 1990, Alun’s coin was struck on a copper one from a foreign country.
At the time of its purchase, Alun said when he first saw it he loved it straight away: “I knew it was unique.”
“It was fantastic to find out how unique it is. It’s brilliant news. I was over the moon.
“When I took it to be valued they said ‘the sky is the limit’ because it’s the only one.”
In January 2018 the coin was verified as authentic by the Royal Mint, who have confirmed it as genuine coinage.
Alun later sent the coin to ANACS – America’s oldest coin authentication and grading service.
Will Dobbins, coins, tokens and banknotes cataloguer at the auctioneers said: “This mint-made error 20p is a rare example of a coin being struck on the wrong blank – this time a copper-plated steel blank, which was intended for one of the many overseas countries The Royal Mint produces coins for.
“This is the only one of its kind known and is complete with an official letter of accreditation from The Royal Mint.
“It is always exciting to deal with rarities such as this 20p, it is a spectacular example and would make an excellent addition to any collection.”
The coin is now set to go to auction on August 9 at 10.30am and Tennants Auctioneers is expecting bids between £1,200 and £1,800.
Alun told The Sun he’ll use the money he makes from selling the rare piece for a holiday – or on his coin collecting habit.
He said: “I’ll possibly buy more coins to invest in or put the money towards a holiday abroad.
“I knew from day one back in December 2017 that the coin would be a great investment.
“I knew it would be worth much, much more in a couple of years if I decided to sell it.
“It makes me feel amazing – the thought that one of my coins could reward me in such a way is fantastic.
“I feel that my years of building up knowledge in numismatics [the study of coins] is finally paying off.”
What are the most valuable error coins?
Have a rummage through the change in your pocket for a coin that’s been minted with a mistake as it could be worth a small fortune.
London 2012 Olympics Aquatics 50p first design – worth up to £1,500
Not technically a printing error, this coin was originally minted with water passing directly over the swimmer’s face.
But it was later modified to include less water so you can see the swimmer more clearly.
Experts have valued this one to be worth between £1,000 and £1,500.
1983 New Pence 2p coin – worth up to £1,250
All 2p coins minted between February 1971 and 1982 should say “new pence” on the front.
Those released after this date say “two pence”.
But in 1983, a glitch meant a batch of 2p coins was printed with the old wording on them making them valuable to collectors.
Silver 2p (1971 to 1992) – worth up to £1,000
These coins were accidentally struck on silver and can be easily mistaken for a 10p.
James Weller from Kent found one in his change at home.
He hasn’t sold it yet, but if it sells for anything like other silver 2p coins, then it could be worth more than £1,000.
All zinc £2 coins – worth up to £800
The rare Standing on the Shoulders of Giants £2 coin has only been stamped on nickel brass.
This contrasts to the usual £2 coins which is stamped on two types of metal – nickel brass and copper zinc.
Approximately 10,270,000 of these types of coins were issued for circulation in 2007.
Bronze 20p – worth up to £750
One of the rarest coins ever, the bronze 20p coin is dated 1987.
The Royal Mint said it was the result of an extremely rare minting error.
A blank 1p somehow found its way into the presses and ended up with a 20p struck onto it.
How can I sell a rare coin?
There are lots of ways to sell your coin – you can sell it on eBay, through Facebook, or in an auction.
But be wary of the risks.
For example, there are a number of scams targeting sellers on Facebook.
Crooks will say they’re planning to buy the item, and ask for money upfront for a courier they’ll be sending around.
But it’s all a ploy to get you to send free cash to them – and they never have any intention of picking your item up.
It’s always best to meet in person when buying or selling on Facebook Marketplace.
Ensure it’s a public meeting spot that’s in a well-lit area.
Avoid payment links and log in directly through the payment method’s website.
Most sellers prefer to deal with cash directly when meeting to ensure it’s legitimate.
Perhaps the safest way of selling rare coins is to sell them at auction – to do this, contact The Royal Mint’s Collectors Service.
It has a team of experts who can help you authenticate and value your coin.
You’ll need to enquire via email, and a member of the valuation team will contact get back to you.
Take a picture of your coin and attach this to the email – you can find the details on The Royal Mint’s website.
Be aware that you will be charged for this service though – the cost will vary depending on the size of your collection.
You might choose to use eBay to sell your rare coin.
But take into account that if you manage to sell your item then eBay will charge you 10% of the money you made – this includes postage and packaging.