Most valuable coins you can find in your change revealed – do you have one in your wallet?
RARE coins you might be carrying in your wallet could fetch prices of more than £1,000.
If you have stashes of loose change lying around, it's worth checking to see if any of these rare finds are lurking in your collection.
3
3
One of the most sought-after coins wanted by collectors is the Kew Gardens 50p.
Just 210,000 coins of this 2009 design were released into circulation - and almost all are in private hands according to The Royal Mint.
But the lucky holders of these coins, which feature the Chinese Pagoda at Kew, could sell them for as much as £150 each.
Another rare coin that could fetch £1,000 or more came into existence through a famous error on its wording.
Dating the 1983, these 2p coins read "new pence" instead of "two pence" on its tails side.
TikTok account coincollectingwizard says these decades old 2ps are "a very hard coin to find".
The account advises collectors and coin enthusiasts to check their Royal Mint sets - or "even luckier" find one in their change - if they hope to source one.
While the 1983 date on the coin is a sign to look out for, the key unique feature is that "new pence" writing on the reverse side.
The rarest and most valuable 50p coins in circulation
In addition, the ornate 2002-dated Commonwealth Games coins can also fetch a decent price.
There are separate designs for each of the four countries of the United Kingdom - with the Northern Ireland coin being the rarest.
The rarest version can go for around £35.
The reverse of these coins shows a triumphant looking figure raising a banner over their head.
It was minted to mark the Commonwealth Games hosted in Manchester in 2002.
Among coins in circulation, 50p pieces are one of the most popular to collect.
This is largely thanks their surface area, which gives them enough space to include new intricate designs.
Errors that make a coin unique are likely to increase its value.
The rarer the coin, the more sought after and valuable it will be to collectors.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
14 minutes ago
- BBC News
Cole Cooper: Missing teen struggled with mental health
A missing teenager had been struggling with his mental health "for a while", his brother has Cooper, 19, hasn't been heard from since he went on a night out with friends in Falkirk on 3 May. His older brother Connor told BBC Newsbeat that Cole had experienced suicidal thoughts and depression before his 22, said his family had tried to offer support but it had been rejected. "That's the difficult bit for me as his brother," Connor said. "Just because I'm preparing for the worst, and I just wish he would take that help that we offered."Cole was officially reported missing on Friday 9 May, and the last-known CCTV footage of him was recorded on the morning of 4 said it had been suggested to him that Cole might have taken "time out" for his mental health, but he didn't feel that explained his brother's long absence."It didn't sit right with me," he said."I can get that if you're in that state of mind you might want to escape reality."But four weeks down the line is where it gets a lot more concerning."Police Scotland said Cole had not used his phone or bank cards in the time he'd been missing - something Connor said he found particularly worrying.A witness, who told police they knew Cole, reported seeing him on 7 May in Longcroft, near his home village of says he has questions about the sighting. "We've not got footage to back it up," said Connor."As well as that, I just don't believe you go missing, pop up three or four days later and go missing again." The search for Cole Cooper Officers have visited more than 200 homes and obtained more than 1,000 hours of CCTV footage. Search teams, helicopters, drones and divers have also searched the local area. Cole's family have carried out their own searches, with one taking place on Sunday."Your mind plays tricks on you at times when you're out looking," Connor said."Because you're looking back and going 'did I see something or not?'."You get that bad feeling in your stomach. "You're needing to mentally prepare yourself, not just coming across maybe a phone or his wallet, but you're preparing yourself going into these areas thinking, 'could we find Cole?'."Connor said the community searches have looked in canal areas, woodland and fields. He said the past month had been "hell" for Cole's family and friends. "It's brutal. I wouldn't wish this on anyone," he said. Timeline: Where was Cole Cooper last seen? 3 May: Cole was on a night out with friends.4 May: He was captured on CCTV multiple times around Nisbet Drive, Longcroft Road and Hogan Path in the early hours of Sunday was seen approaching the door of his father's house at 05:49 before leaving four minutes last CCTV footage of Cole was at 06:00 on Cumbernauld 'increasingly concerned' for missing Cole CooperFamily and friends lead search for missing Falkirk teenager7 May: A witness said they saw Cole at around 20:45 on the A803 at the Intersection with Cumbernauld Road, had been living in Falkirk and is known to have links to the Denny, Cumbernauld and Paisley say any information, including photographs, CCTV or dashcam footage, should be sent to them through an online portal. If you've been affected by any of the issues raised in this story sources of help can be found via BBC Action Line. Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.
Scotsman
16 minutes ago
- Scotsman
Thames Water takeover M&S boss pay rise business video
From calls to overhaul the water industry and Thames Water's failed investor talks, to Greg Hands' new role at Royal Mail and a £7.1m payday for the M&S boss - here are today's top UK business stories. Sign up to our Scotsman Money newsletter, covering all you need to know to help manage your money. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Today's bulletin focuses partly on the water sector - because there are several big stories. Firstly - England and Wales' water industry needs a 'fundamental reset', according to a new report. The Independent Water Commission says failures across the industry are 'deep-rooted and systemic'. It's calling for a tougher, more hands-on approach from regulator Ofwat. Thames Water deal collapses and ex-UK trade minister Greg Hands joins Royal Mail: More Business in Brief Meanwhile, Thames Water says talks with investor KKR have collapsed, dealing a blow to its rescue plans. KKR had been the preferred partner in efforts to recapitalise the troubled utility. But it's now pulled out, meaning Thames Water will shift focus to a plan backed by senior creditors. Chairman Sir Adrian Montague says the company remains committed to finding a sustainable solution. The owner of South West Water has also said today rising bills will help fund £3.2 billion in upgrades. | Getty Images The owner of South West Water has also said today rising bills will help fund £3.2 billion in upgrades. Pennon Group posted a £72.7 million loss this year - much deeper than last year's £9.1 million. It blames record investment and efforts to cut customer water use. Average bills jumped 28 per cent in April, helping to cover a third of its long-term plans. In other news, Irish hotel group Dalata has received a potential €1.3 billion cash offer. The early-stage proposal comes from hotel property company Pandox and real estate specialist Eiendomsspar. They're offering €6.05 a share - a 27 per cent premium on Dalata's March price. Talks are under way, but there's no guarantee a formal bid will follow. Former UK trade minister Greg Hands has joined Royal Mail's new owner as a strategic adviser. The ex-Conservative MP will work full-time for Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky's EP Group. He'll focus on the UK and Germany as the company takes full control of Royal Mail.
Telegraph
16 minutes ago
- Telegraph
How Britain's most generous rewards scheme fell apart
When Nick Thomas and his wife took out a health and life insurance policy with Vitality four years ago, like millions of others they were drawn to the generous rewards scheme. Unlike a traditional rewards programme where repeated spending eventually leads to a perk, Vitality rewarded members for having healthy lifestyle habits. Walking 7,000 steps a day, going to the gym or completing a Parkrun all earned points offering lucrative rewards for Thomas and his family such as free cinema tickets, an Amazon Prime membership and bags of Caffe Nero coffee. The scheme was a success on both sides. For Vitality, healthier customers claimed less while members benefited from better health and significant savings in the form of numerous perks. Thomas, like countless other members The Telegraph has spoken to, has nothing but praise for Vitality. 'It's been brilliant. I've encouraged other people to sign up because I've been so impressed with it all.' But all of that changed last month when Vitality decided to 'level up' its reward programme. Rather than earning rewards solely for healthy lifestyle choices, the insurance provider introduced a game whereby members would have to find a cartoon dachshund called 'Stanley' hidden behind 16 bushes. The monthly rewards they now earn are dependent on how many 'Stanleys' they find. The disapproval among Vitality's 1.9 million members has been swift. Online message boards reveal an avalanche of complaints about the 'silly game'. Facebook groups show members venting their frustrations and trying to share tips about how to find the hidden dogs. Criticisms range from members saying they feel infantilised to more serious accusations that the game amounts to a form of gambling, and is at odds with the company's aim to reward 'being active, eating healthily and maintaining good mental health'. Vitality strongly disputes the allegation that it amounts to gambling, as members do not stake money while playing. Martyn James, a consumer expert, says while it is not a form of gambling, it is part of a growing trend of 'gamification' – the process of using gameplay to make tasks more attractive and encourage engagement. He says: 'Unless Vitality can demonstrate that the odds show that people are getting the same amount of rewards then it's a smokescreen to hide the fact that benefits have been removed. 'That's before you consider the juvenile factor. It's fine if you are younger and don't mind hunting for a cartoon dog but as a grown adult, I find that quite patronising. I don't mind spinning a wheel every now and then, but you have to question what purpose does this serve?' The Telegraph is aware of numerous members who have written to Vitality to complain, but so far the company has shown no signs of reverting the changes in responses to these letters. Thomas is one such member who has flagged his concerns with Vitality. 'I wondered if it was just me who was getting annoyed but looking online, I thought thank goodness it's not just me. 'My wife and I joined after we sat down with a financial adviser and we were drawn in by a policy that rewarded healthy living. That's why a lot of people join it. 'But with this they have created a childish game which is completely based on luck. There is an unfairness to it all. I can earn 160 points in a month [the maximum] and end up with fewer rewards than someone who has earned 48 points. 'I'd love for them to be transparent. If they need to cut costs and therefore reduce the number of benefits, just be open about that. Equally, if they need to increase costs because of the level of benefits, it's best to be open and transparent with members rather than doing [this] which annoys people.' The changes to the reward programme are complex. Previously, members were able to earn up to 160 points in a month with weekly and monthly rewards available. For example, if members earned 12 points a week, which could be achieved by walking more than 7,000 steps for four days, they could redeem a drink of their choice at Caffe Nero. For 12 points, they could also enjoy a weekly film rental from Rakuten. Earning 48 points in a month unlocked a free cinema ticket at Odeon or Vue, and until January 2024, reaching 160 points every month gave you a free Amazon Prime membership. Under the new system, some health-based points rewards remain. Earning 12 points in a week can be transferred for either a free Caffe Nero drink and 25pc off Itsu food or 50pc off a cinema ticket. But rather than incentivising members to earn as close to the maximum number of points as possible in a month to reach the best rewards, these are all now linked to playing a computer game where luck determines what prizes you earn. As long as a member earns 12 points each week out of a maximum of 40, they are entered into the game where they are shown 16 square tiles known as 'bushes' – behind four of which is a dog. When members open the game, the first bush shakes to reveal where the first dog is hidden. It then leaves members with three chances to find three dogs hidden behind 15 bushes. At the end of the month, if a member finds four dogs, they earn one reward, if they find eight dogs, they earn two prizes and if they find 10 dogs, they earn the maximum of three prizes. David Rowe, a programme manager from Hertfordshire, has reluctantly played the game each week. However, both last month and this month, he has found seven dogs, leaving him one short of collecting two prizes. Márton Balázs, a probability professor at Bristol University, explains there is a good reason why members like Rowe keep falling short of earning two prizes. Balázs has calculated that assuming a member played the game four times in a month and they always find the first dog which the game prompts, they have only got a 13.4pc chance of finding eight dogs. To earn three rewards, equivalent to finding 10 dogs, the odds of winning are even smaller at 0.96pc – giving members a one in 103 chance of winning the maximum prize, although Vitality strongly refutes these calculations. Rowe added: 'I looked up the chances of finding all four dogs and you've got a one in 455 chance. You are almost five times more likely to match three numbers in the National Lottery than find all four dogs in a week on this game,' he says. Rowe, who has been a member for the past eight years and pays £600 annually for his policy, is considering leaving. 'My policy is up for renewal in September. I will investigate changing and see what else is out there. If I can get an insurance policy that is half the price of what I am paying now, I'd think, 'Why would I not do that because that money I'm saving I can just spend on cinema tickets or an Itsu meal instead?'.' Thomas and his wife are also considering the value of their £1,460 annual bill, but he is hopeful that Vitality might yet listen to the rising anger of members. 'I've never questioned leaving before but if things haven't changed by August or September, then I think we'll go elsewhere'. A Vitality spokesman said the scheme continued to offer 'significant value' to consumers. Nick Read, managing director, said: 'The update to the Vitality Programme ensures more customers are taking steps to improve their health, with over 53,000 additional members now more physically active than they previously were. 'The impact of this is transformational – many more people will live in better health for longer. It also continues to offer significant value, over and above the market-leading health and life insurance we provide.'
