FESTIVE FUNDS
Six rare and valuable Christmas coins worth up to £4,500 including £2,000 VIP gifts
Find out if the contents of your wallet could lead to a festive windfall
EXPERTS have revealed six rare and valuable festive coins that could be worth up to £4,500.
So, as Christmas approaches, it's time to check if a Christmas windfall is hidden amongst your change.
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The Royal Mint has minted festive coins for many years, featuring designs including beloved children's characters and classic scenes.
YouTuber and expert at The Britannia Coin Company, Christopher Collects, has highlighted some of the coins that are highly sought after.
The coins range from those that are almost a century old to contemporary releases, with one worth an amazing £4,500.
All the coins highlighted can fetch many times their face value, however, it is important to note that a coin is only worth how much the buyer is willing to pay for it.
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Here are the coins Christopher advises looking out for:
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The Snowman 50p coins
The Royal Mint has released coins celebrating the classic festive book and film The Snowman every year since 2018.
The coins do not enter circulation, but are made available for collectors to purchase and feature a new design every Christmas.
Since they began being minted, around 700,000 Snowman coins have been snapped up by collectors worldwide and continue to be a fan favourite.
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Christopher said: "These Christmas coins are worth up to £20, depending on the design.”
How to spot a 50p worth £50 and mule 20p that sells for £30
This year the Royal Mint has released a 50p coin, showing the Snowman placing a star at the top of a Christmas tree in a snowy field.
The standard version is available for £12, which a coloured version is available for £25.
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Isle of Man 2008 Snowman 50p
The Royal Mint also releases an annual Snowman-designed 50p coin, in the Isle of Man.
The coin feature the words Isle of Man around the image of the monarch.
Coin expert Christopher has said people should look out for the 2008 version of the coin.
He explained: “This Christmas coin features the Snowman and James, the little boy who is taken on an adventure.
"The other side features a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II with the words ‘Isle of Man’ around the bust.
“We do not know exactly how many of these 2008 Isle Of Man Snowman coins were made, but they can sell for more than £500 when they appear on eBay and at auction.”
That £500 price tag is an astonishing 1,000 times the face value of the coin itself, so this is defiantly one to watch out for.
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Gibraltar Christmas Mule 50p
An even more valuable find would be the Gibraltar Christmas mule 50p coin.
Christopher said: “A ‘mule coin’ is a type of error coin where two designs that don’t match have been paired together. In this case, the 1989 Christmas 50p ‘tails’ design of a little choirboy was paired with the ‘heads’ design from 1990.
“We only know of one example of this super rare Gibraltar error coin and we sold it for a huge £4,500 to a serious collector early this year.”
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Wreath Crowns
Older coins that could make you a packet this Christmas include the so called 'wreath crowns'.
Christopher said: “People think of collectors coins as a modern invention but the Royal Mint have actually been making them for at least a century.
"A good example of this is so-called ‘Wreath Crowns'.
“These were large silver coins produced around Christmas each year as gifts for VIP clients of the Bank of England. They get their name from the distinctive wreath design on the tails side with a crown in the centre.
“These coins were made most years between 1927 and 1936 with only a few thousand minted each year.
"The rarest year is 1934, with only 932 made, and these coins sell for upwards of £2,000.”
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Strike your own Christmas coins
Some of the more unusual coins to gain value as collectors' items include those struck by visitors to the Royal Mint Experience in Llantrisant, Wales.
Visitors are given the chance to use the minting equipment to strike their own coins for £7.50.
Only one coin can be minted per person and the designs offered to visitors change, with some having become collectors items.
Christopher explained: “While these coins are intended as souvenirs, they are actually sought after by collectors, with some Christmas designs proving particularly sought-after.
“Two to watch out for are the 2018 Nutcracker strike your own £5 coin, which came in a little pouch, and the 2019 Snowman strike your own 50p, which came in a small card folder.
"Both of these coins can sell for £50 or more on eBay, which is a good return on their investment.”
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Silver sixpences
While sixpences have traditionally been hidden in Christmas puddings to bring good luck to the recipient, they could have a hidden value.
Christopher said: “All UK sixpence coins dated before 1947 contain a percentage of real silver.
Sixpences from 1919 and earlier, including old Victorian coins, are made from .925 sterling silver, similar to most fine silver jewellery.
“With silver prices trending upwards these coins could be more valuable than you think so its worth checking old money boxes.”
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 £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.
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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 do I safely store valuable coins?
HERE are some tricks to keep your valuable coins safe from toning:
- Store your coins in individual containers
- Put it in a clear, air tight holder that lets you see the coin from both sides
- Avoid putting them in clear plastic sandwich bags because they can still rub against each other an may cause scratches or marks
- Store your collection in a folder or album, although tarnishing may occur quicker than in an airtight container
- Keep them out of a damp environment. You can use silica gel to help prevent damp
- Wear clean, white gloves when handling the coins
- Steer clear of using PVC materials as it traps moisture and releases acidic gases which can damage the collection.
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