A RARE 50p has sold for 150 times its usual value – due to a tiny missing “mark”.
The King Charles Atlantic Salmon 50p was first produced in 2023 in celebration of Charles‘ ascension of the throne.
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Most of the coins were minted with what’s called a “privy mark” – a small crown symbol stamped onto the heads, tails side or rim.
In the case of the Atlantic Salmon, this is a small Tudor crown, stamped just behind the King’s head.
However, a “non privy mark” version recently hit eBay – and sold for a whopping £75.18.
The sale went through on April 13 following a bidding war between 40 coin enthusiasts.
It is not the first time the coin has seen major profits for its owner.
Last year, one sold for over £100 last year – 200 times its usual value.
Others have sold for around the £110-£120 mark – while a bag of the coins went for an eye-watering £1,700.
Only a small number of coins in circulation have a privy mark, as they’re only etched on for special occasions – such as coronations and jubilees – and collector’s editions.
The limited number of coins with privy marks means they have a greater collectability factor – and are generally more valuable.
But, confusingly, 2023 Atlantic Salmon 50p coins are actually more valuable without privy marks.
There were only 200,000 of these mark-less coins put into general circulation, making them even rarer than the Kew Gardens 50p – and therefore extremely valuable.
It comes after another 50p was listed on eBay for a staggering £150,000 last week – 300,000 times its usual value.
The rare 2017 coin features Elizabeth II’s head on one side, and Beatrix Potter’s beloved Benjamin Bunny on the other.
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.
How to spot valuable items
COMMENTS by Consumer Editor, Alice Grahns:
It’s easy to check if items in your attic are valuable.
As a first step, go on eBay to check what other similar pieces, if not the same, have sold for recently.
Simply search for your item, filter by “sold listings” and toggle by the highest value.
This will give you an idea of how much others are willing to pay for it.
The method can be used for everything ranging from rare coins and notes to stamps, old toys, books and vinyl records – just to mention a few examples.
For coins, online tools from change experts like Coin Hunter are also helpful to see how much it could be worth.
Plus, you can refer to Change Checker’s latest scarcity index update to see which coins are topping the charts.
For especially valuable items, you may want to enlist the help of experts or auction houses.
Do your research first though and be aware of any fees for evaluating your stuff.
As a rule of thumb, rarity and condition are key factors in determining the value of any item.
You’re never guaranteed to make a mint, however.