A rare 20p coin that may be the only kind could sell for as much as £1,800.
The unique coin was struck on a plain metal disc planchet from a foreign country in 1990 instead of being produced using a bronze metal blank like most 20p coins made that year.
Collector Alun Barker is believed to have purchased the coin on eBay for £50 in December 2017.
It was initially listed as a 20p strike on a 1p coin planchet, but experts have confirmed its metallic makeup.
In January 2018, the Royal Mint verified the coin as authentic.
When buying the coin, Barker, of Hull, said he was “over the moon” when he discovered how unique it was.
He said: “I’ve been told that if I want to sell it, I should reserve it at auction for £2,200.
“When I took it to be valued, they said ‘the sky is the limit’ because it’s the only one.
“Everyone I’ve spoken to has never seen anything like it. I’m still taking it in. The magnitude of it is amazing.”
The Valuable 20p Coin That Could Fetch £1,800
A Tennants Auctioneers spokesperson added: “This 1990 20p has been struck on a copper-plated steel blank intended for one of the other countries the Royal Mint produces coins for.
A 1966 Pattern Crown featuring a photo of Prince Phillip and Queen Elizabeth will also be going under the hammer on August 9.
It has a striking image of Britannia hurling thunderbolts on the reverse and is estimated to fetch £1,000 to £1,500.
Meanwhile, a seller in Glasgow auctioned off a 2019 Paddington Bear design 50p coin on eBay for an impressive £1,500 in February.
Another sought-after coin among collectors is the Kew Garden 50p coin.
This coin was created to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the famous botanical gardens in 2009, and only 210,000 were ever made.
Recently, a seller on eBay managed to fetch over £700 for one of these rare coins.
An ultra-rare 20p coin is set to fetch at least £1,800 at auction after a man from Hull discovered it.
Coin collector Alun Barker is believed to have purchased the 20p from 1990 on eBay for £50. It is now expected to fetch 36 times more than it was bought for.
A Hidden Gem in Your Pocket
Experts say it is one of its kind because it was struck differently than all the other 20p coins made that year.
It was struck on a planchet – a plain metal disc that makes coins – from a foreign country, probably by mistake. “It’s a spectacular error and the only one of its kind known,” said a spokesperson for Tennants Auctioneers, organising the coin sale.
The coin, which comes with a Royal Mint letter of accreditation, was purchased by Alun in December 2017. He said he was “over the moon” when he discovered how unique it was.
“I’ve been told that if I want to sell it, I should reserve it at auction for £2,200. When I took it to be valued, they said, ‘The sky is the limit’ because it’s the only one.
“Everyone I’ve spoken to has never seen anything like it. I’m still taking it in. The magnitude of it is amazing.”
Lots at the Tennants Auction will also include a George VI 1937 Gold Proof set of coins comprising a £5, double sovereign, sovereign and half sovereign. Only around 5,000 locations were minted, estimated to go for £10,000 to £12,000 at auction.
The Rare 20p Coin with an Estimated Worth of £1,800
A 20p coin so rare that it is the only one experts have ever seen is set to fetch a whopping £1,800 at auction.
The coin was struck on a planchet – a plain metal disc – from a foreign country in 1990.
It should have been produced using a bronze metal blank like all 20p coins that year.
The coin is believed to have been purchased on eBay for just £50, and it is now expected to fetch a whopping 36 times more than it was bought for.
Coin collector Alun Barker is believed to have purchased the ultra-rare coin on eBay for £50 in December 2017.
It was listed as a 20p strike on a 1p coin planchet, but experts have confirmed its metallic makeup.
In January 2018, the coin was verified as authentic by the Royal Mint, who confirmed it as genuine coinage.
When buying the coin, Alun, of Hull, East Yorks, said he was ‘over the moon’ when he discovered how unique the cash is.
The £1,800 20p Coin That’s Hard to Find
He said: “When I saw it, I loved it immediately. I knew it was unique.
“It was fantastic to find out how unique it is. It’s brilliant news. I was over the moon.
“I’ve been told that if I want to sell it, I should reserve it at auction for £2,200.
“When I took it to be valued, they said ‘the sky is the limit’ because it’s the only one.
“Everyone I’ve spoken to has never seen anything like it. I’m still taking it in. The magnitude of it is amazing.”
The coin is being auctioned by Tennants Auctioneers in Leyburn, North Yorkshire, on August 9.
A Tennants Auctioneers spokesperson said: “This 1990 20p has been struck on a copper-plated steel blank intended for one of the other countries the Royal Mint produces coins for.
