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Specific animal sketch on £2 coin that makes it worth over 100 times MORE – do you have handful lurking in your pocket?
The name of the sketch stands for the Manx word "first"
YOU could have an ultra-rare £2 coin that could be worth hundreds of pounds lurking in your change.
The 2011 Commonwealth Youth Games coin was put into circulation in 2011 to commemorate the fourth Commonwealth Youth Games, hosted on the Isle of Man.
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It features the official mascot of the games, Tosha the Cat, as well as the logo of the games.
According to the website Change Checker, which reveals how much of a certain coin is in circulation, mintage figures for British Isles coins are hard to track down.
In the case of the Isle of Man and Channel Islands, this is because they issue their own banknotes and coins.
This means the true mintage figure for these coins is not widely known, so it can't be said how rare they are - making them a collector's item
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The coin recently sold for a whopping £220.51 with 32 bids on September 8.
While another sold for £240 with three bids on September 2.
Of course, it's important to bear in mind that a coin is only worth what someone is willing to buy it for.
Plus, it also pays to be aware of fakes.
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There are fake Tosha the Cat £2's out there and we always advise doing extensive research before making an investment.
Change Checker recommends looking out for these features when spotting a fake:
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- Its overly shiny
- The strike is much less defined
- It weighs less than the standard 12g £2 coin
Who is Tosha the Cat?
At its peak, this specific Tosha the Cat sketch even won "Coin of the Year" on Facebook coin groups.
The coin itself features Tosha, the official Commonwealth Youth Games Mascot, along with the official logo of the games.
The word "Tosha" stands for the Manx Gaelic word "first", a link to how this was the first time the games were held on the island.
How to sell a rare coin
If, after checking, you realise you've come across a rare coin, there's a number of ways you can sell it.
You can sell it on eBay, through Facebook, or in an auction.
But be wary of the risks.
For example, there are a number of scams targeting sellers on Facebook.
Crooks will say they're planning to buy the item and ask for money upfront for a courier they'll be sending around.
But it's all a ruse to get you to send free cash to them - and they never have any intention of picking your item up.
It's always best to meet in person when buying or selling on Facebook Marketplace.
Ensure it's a public meeting spot that's in a well-lit area.
Avoid payment links and log in directly through the payment method's website.
Most sellers prefer to deal with cash directly when meeting to ensure it's legitimate.
The safest way to sell a rare coin is more than likely at auction.
You can organise this with The Royal Mint's Collectors Service. It has a team of experts who can help you authenticate and value your coin.
You can get in touch via email and a member of the valuation team will get back to you.
You will be charged for the service, though - the cost varies depending on the size of your collection.
Meanwhile, you can sell rare coins on eBay.
But take into account that if you manage to sell your item then eBay will charge you 10% of the money you made - this includes postage and packaging.
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Always keep proof of postage to protect yourself from dodgy buyers who may claim they never received the item.
Send the parcel by tracked delivery if you can as this way they can't claim it never arrived.
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