Rare 'bronze' 20p coin sells for 1,100 times its face value - how to spot

The Royal Mint has revealed its list of its top 10 rarest and most valuable coins

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Some coins are made with minting errors which make them not only rare, but also extremely valuable to the right collector. One 20p coin, minted back in 1983, was made on a copper-coloured blank my mistake, creating a rare bronze 20p. These coins are much sought after by collectors and are far more valuable than their 20p face value.

One such coin sold on eBay this week for £232, more than 1,000 times its face value, after inspiring a mini bidding war and inspiring 28 bids. The 50 pence piece has become the most valued and collected coin in the UK, with many collectable designs appearing on its heptagonal canvas. Its 27.



5mm diameter makes it the largest of any British coin, and allows space for decorative pictures. It has often been used to celebrate big events over the past 50 years of British history. The rarest coins tend to be of the greatest value, with the mintage (number of coins with each design made) being the fundamental attraction for collectors.

Along with the design, other aspects of the coin which increase value are the condition of the coin and whether it has an error in its design. The way in which it is sold can also determine the coin’s value - while some coin collectors will bid vast amounts of money on eBay or at auction, others opt for more robust valuations by selling via a coin dealer. Here is a list of the top 10 most valuable coins, when they were made and how many were minted: Kew Gardens (2009), 210,000 Olympic Wrestling (2011), 1,129,500 Olympic Football (2011), 1,161,500 Olympic Judo (2011), 1,161,500 Olympic Triathlon (2011), 1,163,500 Peter Rabbit (2018), 1,400,000 Flopsy Bunny (2018), 1,400,000 Olympic Tennis (2011), 1,454,000 Olympic Goalball (2011), 1,615,500 Olympic Shooting (2011), 1,656,500.