Check the change in your purses and wallets… a 2p coin has just sold for over £1,300

MOST of us are pleased to get shot of the small change bulking up our purses but wait … it could be worth a fortune.

A 2p coin dropped into a charity collection tin has just sold for a whopping £1,350.

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The rare coin was found in a Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal tin in Malmesbury, Wiltshire, and was initially believed to be a fake.

But when volunteers took it to a bank, staff suggested that they send it to the Royal Mint – who revealed it was as a rare misprinted coin worth a small fortune.

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A nickel blank, intended to become a 10p piece, was accidentally pressed in the 2p mint.

Now it’s been bought by a collectable coin company The Westminster Collection.

It’s not the first of its kind.

A similar ‘silver’ tuppence was sold for £1,400 two years ago, after a former petrol station owner found it in a roll of coins.

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Last summer, the Royal Berkshire Hospital charity found one in their collection tin and eagle-eyed volunteer Becky Jennings put it up for sale on eBay, netting more than £800 for the charity.

While you might not find this particular coin, there are plenty more reasons to rifle through your loose change.

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Here are a few more rare coins to look for.

The Kew Gardens 50p

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This coin was issued in 2009 to mark the 250th anniversary of The Royal Botanical Gardens.

There are only 210,000 in existence and they can sell for up to £310.

The Royal Mint says one in every 300 people could have the coin in their spare change.

London 2012 Olympic swimming 50p coin 

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The original design was thought to hide the swimmer’s face with too much water, so it was remodelled.

One of the few coins minted before the redesign was sold for £820 last year, although they are only fetching around £1 - £2 on eBay at the moment.

2002 Commonwealth Games £2 coin

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Minted for 2002 Commonwealth Games and featuring a Northern Ireland flag, this is the second rarest, with only 485,000 made.

But they are only likely to fetch around £20.

Third, fourth and fifth are the 2002 £2 coins featuring the Welsh, English and Scottish flags respectively.