Ultra-rare war sketch on £2 makes it worth up to 25 times more than its value – is there one in your wallet?

AN ULTRA-rare war sketch on a £2 coin has caused its value to skyrocket to 25 times its original value.

These unique coins were issued by The Royal Mint to mark the centenary of the First World War.

The back of the £2 collector's item pays homage to the pilots of the war, showcasing a drawing of a First World War aircraft.

It is the fourth coin to be released in the series honouring the aviators.

Thousands of these coins are already in circulation, so be sure to check your wallets—you might have a small fortune waiting for you.

The rare £2 coins have fetched a hefty sum on eBay, with one selling for £49 - almost 25 times its original value.

Another user auctioned their World War-themed coin for an impressive £33, which is over 16 times its original value.

Meanwhile, two other sellers sold their coins for £18 and £19, respectively.

This is not the only rare £2 piece out there, however.

A set of £2 coins commissioned for the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester frequently attracts sale prices of more than £50 online.

One sold for £57 on July 3 - which is 28 times more than its value.

The most valuable coin in the set is the Queen Elizabeth II £2: Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland.

The coin's main feature is a sketch of a running woman accompanied by the flag of Northern Ireland.

How to spot rare coins and banknotes

Rare coins and notes hiding down the back of your sofa could sell for hundreds of pounds.

If you are lucky enough to find a rare £10 note you might be able to sell it for multiple times its face value.

You can spot rare notes by keeping an eye out for the serial numbers.

These numbers can be found on the side with the Monarch's face, just under the value of £10 in the corner of the note.

Also if you have a serial number on your note that is quite quirky you could cash in thousands.

For example, one seller bagged £3,600 after spotting a specific serial number relating to the year Jane Austen was born on one of their notes.

You can check if your notes are worth anything on eBay, just tick "completed and sold items" and filter by the highest value.

It will give you an idea of what people are willing to pay for some notes.

But do bear in mind that yours is only worth what someone else is willing to pay for it.

This is also the case for coins, you can determine how rare your coin is by looking a the latest scarcity index.

The next step is to take a look at what has been recently sold on eBay.

Experts from Change Checker recommend looking at "sold listings" to be sure that the coin has sold for the specified amount rather than just been listed.

People can list things for any price they like, but it doesn't mean it will sell for that amount.

We explain further how you can find out if you have a rare coin worth thousands sitting around the house.

How to sell a rare coin

If, after checking, you realise you've come across a rare coin, there are 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.

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.