Homeless man handed rare 50p coin that could be worth thousands
A HOMELESS man moved on by police for begging had a lucky surprise after discovering a rare coin which was worth hundreds of pounds.
The man was sitting outside Greggs in Exeter, Devon, seeking money from strangers when officers approached him and asked him to move.
The man then proceeded to show them a 50p piece and asked if they could help confirm whether it was a rare special edition which was launched in memory of children's author Beatrix Potter.
It was among a series produced in April last year and featured well-loved characters to mark the 150th anniversary of Beatrix Potter.
They are the first children's fictional characters to appear on British coins and proved incredibly popular, with silver special editions selling out in just eight days.
The special editions cost £55 when they were released but now change hands on eBay for more than £600.
It has also been reported that the the rarest and most valuable £1 coins have been fetching more than thirty times their value on eBay.
With the round pound coin set to become worthless by the end of 2017, Brits have started rifling through old handbags and looking down the backs of sofas in order to dig out coins that will soon cease to be legal tender.
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