Ultra-rare sketch of mythical figure on £2 coin makes it worth 27 times more – do you have one in your pocket?
SPOTTING this rare coin in your change could be a big money-spinner – it could be worth nearly 27 times worth its original £2 value.
If you discover a sought-after coin in your change, you can make money on it by selling it on.
You could do this through an auction, either online, in person, or through a dealer.
There are some coins which are known to fetch large sums of cash, such as the Kew Gardens 50p and the commemorative 50p coins minted to mark the London 2012 games.
But there are also lesser-known designs that are worth keeping an eye out for – like the The Cattle of Geryon-themed £2 coin.
This commemorative circulated in 2000 featuring a sketch of Geryon – a figure in Greek mythology.
The Cattle of Geryon is part of the Twelve Labours of Heracles and Geryon was a giant with three bodies, known for his strength and unique herd of cattle.
Hercules was tasked with stealing these prized cattle as his tenth labour.
To reach Erytheia island, he had to overcome challenges like battling the giant Eurytion, herdsman of Geryon’s cattle – and a two-headed dog named Orthrus.
Once he reached the island, Hercules confronted Geryon and killed Geryon and took the cattle following a tough battle.
Hercules managed to bring the cattle back to Eurystheus, completing his labour.
The story is often used to symbolise strength perseverance and this rare coin serves as a reminder of this.
What are the most rare and valuable coins?
- Five rarest coins – do you have one?
- The 13 most valuable £2 coins in circulation
- How valuable are the rarest £1 coins?
- Most rare and valuable 50p coins in circulation
- Rare and most valuable 20p coins that could be worth up to £750
- Rarest 10p coins in circulation
- Rare 2p coins revealed
- How to check if you have a rare and valuable banknote
You’re in luck – Ebay has been flogging the rare £2 edition coin, which features the cattle of Geryon on its reverse, on its website.
They’ve gone for as much as £54 and as little as £32.
How to check if a coin is rare
In most cases, a coin is rare if it has a low mintage figure – which is set by The Royal Mint.
The mintage figure relates to how many of the coins were made, so the fewer there are of them, the rarer they are.
You can find out what coins are rare and how they look on The Royal Mint’s website.
Your next step after this is seeing if the same coin is still available to buy in superior Brilliant Uncirculated quality from an official Royal Mint distributor, according to Change Checker.
These coins have been specially made to a superior quality which differentiates them from other coins you might find in your pocket.
How to sell a rare coin
If, after checking, you realise you’ve come across a rare coin, there’s 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.
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.