While buying lunch, a man was given a fairly average penny as change. Little did he realize, this coin was now worth about $1,000, or approximately 2,800 times its face value.
On Wednesday, a UK auction company will sell this ultra-rare 25p coin, which is worth roughly 35 cents.
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 only talking about a handful,” said Kimberly Day, head of coinage at RWB Auctions, in an interview with Business Insider. “It’s very, very rare,” she continued.
The coin’s rarity stems from the fact that a 25p coin does not exist in ordinary UK money.
According to the auction description, this specimen is one of a small number of trial coins created in 1981 “as part of an experiment” by the Royal Mint. The idea was to design a denomination that would work nicely with the existing 10p and 50p coins.
Eventually, the Royal Mint opted against the 25p denomination and instead released the widely used 20p piece, which has a very similar appearance.
So, what began as a simple coin has evolved into a piece of history, attracting the interest of both collectors and aficionados alike. Keep an eye on this fascinating object as it heads to auction!
Understandably, most people may have overlooked this coin.
A Closer Look at the Ordinary UK 20p piece
The coin’s seller, only identified as a guy from Shropshire in central England, is fortunate to have a good eye for detail, according to BI reporter Day. “I bet plenty of people have had these in their change, in their wallets, and they’ve probably just passed it on again,” commented the female.
An unexpected discovery
Day stated that the merchant received the coin as part of his lunch change around five years ago and immediately noticed its odd design. He carefully placed it aside, understanding that it was unique, and chose to have it analyzed years later, when a similar coin made headlines.
Unusual & Rare
This coin is so uncommon that there is little information about it available online. Despite this, coin collectors have expressed strong interest. Several enthusiasts have even gone to the auction house to view it in person.
It’s astonishing how a seemingly regular coin can turn out to be a hidden gem, capturing the attention of collectors from all over.