While buying lunch, a man was handed a seemingly unremarkable coin as part of his change. Little did he know, this coin has now been valued at nearly $1,000, which is around 2,800 times its face value.
This ultra-rare 25p coin—equivalent to about 35 cents—is set to go under the hammer at a UK auction house on Wednesday.
Have there been similar coins?
“There have been a couple of other examples that have gone to auction or sold in the past, but we are talking about a handful,” explained Kimberly Day, the head of coins at RWB Auctions, in an interview with Business Insider. “It’s very, very rare,” she added.
The rarity of this coin lies in the fact that in standard UK currency, there’s no such thing as a 25p coin.
According to the auction catalog, this specimen is one of a handful of trial coins struck in 1981 “as part of an experiment” conducted by the Royal Mint. The goal was to find a denomination that fit well between the existing 10p and 50p coins.
Eventually, the Royal Mint decided against the 25p denomination and instead introduced the commonly used 20p piece, which features a very similar design.
So, what started as an unassuming coin has turned into a piece of history, catching the attention of collectors and enthusiasts alike. Keep an eye on this fascinating piece as it makes its way to auction!
It’s no surprise that this coin might have gone unnoticed by most people.
A Closer Look at an Ordinary UK 20p Piece
The coin’s seller, only known as a man from Shropshire in central England, is fortunate to have a keen eye for detail, according to Day from BI. “I bet plenty of people have had these in their change, in their wallets, and they’ve probably just passed it on again,” she remarked.
An Unexpected Discovery
Day mentioned that the seller recalls receiving the coin as part of his lunch change about five years ago, immediately noting its unusual appearance. He wisely set it aside, recognizing that it was something special, and decided to have it examined years later when a similar coin made the news.
Unusual and Rare
This coin is so rare that there is hardly any reference to it online. Despite this, it has garnered significant interest from coin collectors. Several enthusiasts have even visited the auction house to inspect it in person.
It’s incredible how an ordinary-looking coin can turn out to be a hidden gem, attracting attention from collectors far and wide.
