Check your Rare British Coins (2021/2023 Price Guide) – Value Charts

Here you can find a list of the most valuable and rare UK coins that would add value to any coin collection. They all stand out for their collectability and, as you may have gathered, for offering an excellent investment opportunity for coin collectors. Some of these valuable coins could be in our pocket or in our “coin jar” waiting to be discovered. This is why we said that it is not always a matter of investing a lot of money into collecting, but one of investing our time well in order to make a profit.

Most valuable and rare UK coins wanted by collectors (2023 Update)

In this article, you will find our list of the rarest British coins – from coins that we could find in our daily life, to proofs that were never adopted.

There are a total of 11 unusual pieces that in many cases are – or have been – part of the history of the United Kingdom.

Note: One such valuable coin is the 50p Kew Gardens 2009, already mentioned in our rarest 50p coins post. Numbering only 210,000 units, you can find them in circulation today. We just need to make sure that the coin is the 2009 edition and not the much less valuable 2019 edition.

List of Rarest coins in the U.K.

Are you looking for a list of coins wanted by collectors? Take a look at our list and find out if you have any of them near you.

Disclaimer: For ease of reading, although not geographically correct, we will consider English coins as synonymous with UK and British coins.

#1. 1933 George V Penny – Bronze

This is a British penny commemorating George V in 1933. Coined in bronze with a weight of 9.4 grams and a diameter of 31 mm, this rare coin shows the bust of the King on the front with the legend GEORGIVS V DEI GRA:BRITT:OMN:REX FID:DEF:IND:IMP and Britain sitting on the reverse with the value ONE PENNY and the date of 1933 on the back.

The coin is extremely rare and valuable and it is estimated that only 7 specimens were minted, although only 4 specimens are known. Of these four specimens, only two are located, one in the Royal Mint Museum and one in the Fred Baldwin collection.

In 2016 the prestigious Baldwin auction house auctioned one of these four known specimens, and its auction price reached 78,852 USD.

#2. 1917 Sovereign George V – Gold

Coined by the Royal Mint after World War I (1914-1918) and with a face value of one pound, the weight of this British coin is 7.98 grams, diameter 22 mm and purity 0.9167. The obverse shows King George V on the left with the legend GEORGIVS V D.G.BRITT:OMN:REX F.D.IND:IMP: and on the reverse, St. George and the Dragon and the date 1917.

Before the First World War, Great Britain, and more specifically London, was the world’s financial centre, supported by the country’s gold reserves. After the end of the First World War, the belligerent countries maintained strong debts with the United States, which went from having 26.5% of the world’s gold reserves in 1914 to 40% in 1918.

In 1917, only 1,014,999 pieces were minted, the rarest and most valuable date, not only because of its low mintage but also because these pieces, along with those minted in previous years, formed part of the payment of the debt to the United States after World War I. A large number of pieces were sent to Fort Knox, then in 1934 were cast and converted into ingots. This is why so few of them have survived to the present day.

Although the maximum graduation encapsulated by NGC corresponds to an MS 65 and is valued at 65,000 USD, in recent years this type and year has been auctioned several times with the graduations and prices shown below:

1917 Sovereign George V – Gold Value Chart

#3. 1937 Brass Threepence Edward VIII – Brass and Nickel

The third place in our list of British coinage is held by the Edwardian 3p. This is a proof not adopted for circulation minted in brass and nickel (79% copper, 20% zinc and 1% nickel) of King Edward VIII’s threepence in 1937, characteristic of its 12 sides. Its weight ranges from 5.19 to 6.62 grams and its diameter from 21 mm to 22 mm from the corners.

On the obverse side there is a bust of the monarch on the left with the legend EDWARDVS VIII D:G:BR:OMN:REX F:D:IND:IMP and on the reverse side the money plant with three flowers in the centre and legend 19 – THREE – 37 – PENCE.

Various sources estimate the quantities minted at 10 – 12 units. Edward VIII abdicated on December 10, 1936, and this edition was finally discarded by his successor (his brother Albert who chose the name of George VI) and opted for the more common type, the one with the date below.

These are extremely rare and valuable pieces, in fact the whereabouts of some of them are unknown. To date, two specimens have been auctioned, both at Baldwin’s in 2006 and 2007, the best of the two being valued at between $29,000 and $35,000.

#4. 1994 Bank of England 300th Anniversary two pounds – Gold

To celebrate the 300th anniversary of the Bank of England in 1994, the Royal Mint decided to issue, among others, this two-pound gold coin.

With a diameter of 28.4 mm, weight of 15.98 g, grade of 0.9166, on the obverse appears the image of the queen with the legend ELIZABETH II DEI – GRA – REG – F – D, omitting the value that should appear below (two pounds). On the reverse side is the date the Bank of England was founded (1694) with the original seal under the initials of William and Mary crowned, on the right the date of minting (1994) and below the words “Bank of England”.

What really gives value to the piece shown is being one of the few hundreds of the 1,000 exclusive units that are believed to have been minted in error and which, after being put into circulation by the Royal Mint, were immediately claimed back from their distributors. However, many of these errors were not returned and kept.

This slight discrepancy is found on the front side because of a stamping error, there were units (out of 1000) in which the portrait of the queen is larger than usual, leaving no room for the value “TWO POUNDS”. The stamp used for the coin was that of the two sovereigns.

These pieces can be found on the internet numbered with a certificate for about 2,300 GBP (3,000 USD). Regarding the auctions, we can offer a summary of the pieces auctioned in the last year where you can see a range from 1,020 USD in Heritage Auctions in August 2019 to 4,044 USD in July of this year at The Coin Cabinet.

1994 2 Pounds Bank of England 300th Anniversary Value Chart

#5. 1973 50 pence European Economic Community – Silver Proof Piedfort FDC

This was coined in cupronickel by the Royal Mint to commemorate the United Kingdom’s entry into the European Economic Community (EEC). It weighs 13.5 grams and has a diameter of 30 mm.

Its seven-sided design depicts on the front the young draped bust of Queen Elizabeth II with the diamond tiara “Girls of Great Britain and Ireland” and the inscription ELIZABETH II D – G- REG – F – D -, and on the back nine interlocking hands representing the nine countries that made up the EEC at that time – symbolizing friendship, support and mutual trust. The date 1973 and the value of 50 pence are displayed in the center. The piece can be found on the internet for less than 20 GBP.

The rare variant that we are interested in explaining is the so-called “silver piedfort“, although it does not have the double weight of the regular cupronickel issue. It was minted in a very small number to be presented to finance ministers and high officials of the EEC.

Its valuation today may exceed GBP 3,000 (USD 3,915).

#6. 1996 two pounds – Football European Championships (flat surface) – Gold

This is the rarest two-pound coin minted for the 1996 European Championship, in which 16 teams participated (represented by the 16 dots on the back within a football design with the date 19//96 in the centre). On the obverse side, there is a bust of the queen accompanied on the right by the legend – ELIZABETH – II – DEI – GRATIA – REGINA – F – D – and the value in letters, TWO POUNDS.

This UK coin is made of 0.9167 gold, its weight is 15.976 grams and diameter is 28.4 mm. In the normal print run, its coinage has a concave side.

They have been auctioned with an FDC certificate that includes the number of the piece from a total coinage of just over 2,000 pieces. Their auctions are in the range of 400-500 GBP (522-652 USD) plus commissions. It can be found on direct sale on the internet for just over 1,000 GBP (1,305 USD).

However, there is a valuable variant that is highly appreciated by collectors which has a flat side instead of a concave one. This variant is extremely rare and valuable. It is not known for sure how many pieces were minted, but their value can reach 1,700 GBP (2,220 USD).

#7. 1983 2p “New Pence”error – Bronze

From 1971 to 1982, two-penny coins were minted with the inscription “NEW PENCE” to avoid confusion due to the change to the new decimal system on February 15, 1971 (the “Decimal day“).

In 1982, the legend was replaced by “TWO PENCE” – as there was no longer any point in keeping the word “New” on a coin that had been minted for 11 years. However, in 1983 a small number of coins were mistakenly minted with the old inscription “NEW PENCE”.

The exact number of these errors is unknown but they were only made for the commemorative sets, so it is normal to see them in auctions in these sets and uncirculated quality. Although it cannot be ruled out that some of these valuable errors could appear in the change of our day-to-day lives, they would of course not have the same value as the coins in the uncirculated set.

The last 2 units of these sets containing the 2p 1983 “New pence” error that went up for auction was at London Coins Ltd in June of this year (2020) and were auctioned at between 1,000 and 1,100 GBP (1,300 – 1436 USD) each.

#8. 2011 Aquatics 50p coin – London 2012 Olympics

Another very rare 50p coin is the London 2012 Watersports Games 50p coin variant, showing a swimmer underwater.

We say that this is a variant because it is not an error like the other coins shown. In this case, once the process of minting the reverse side of the coin began, the water covered the swimmer’s face, but it was subsequently decided to modify the design so that the swimmer’s face could be clearly seen unobscured by waves.

Below is a photo of the two versions of the coin. We remind you that the most valuable and scarce edition is the one on the left where the swimmer’s face is not clearly seen, and its acquisition is our investment objective.

The piece has the same characteristics as the 50p face-value coins. The reverse was designed by Jonathan Olliffe and shows a swimmer underwater with the ripples of water currents covering his face. The London Olympics 2012 logo is depicted above and the “50 PENCE” value below. A total of 2,179,000 units of this type were coined.

Before the decision was made to modify the design by removing the waves from the water and making the swimmer’s face visible, various sources estimate that some 600 units were minted only, making it one of the rarest and most sought-after 50p coins in existence. However, we have not found consensus on the total number of units minted for this variant.

In September 2014, one of these specimens found in the original Royal Mint pack and in uncirculated condition was auctioned at GBP 820 (USD 1,073.34). Another copy, but in a circulated state, was auctioned in May 2019 at GBP 590 (USD 772.28).

Many copies of this coin are currently for sale on the Internet, especially on eBay, sometimes specified in the title, sometimes in the description of the item, and sometimes not at all clear – but, obviously, no original of this currency would be sold for those prices. Key to identifying the real deal, it is important to remember that the weight of the coin must be 8 grams, as specified above.

#9. 2008 Undated 20p

Between November 2008 and 2009, 136,000,000 20p pieces were minted with the diademed bust of Queen Elizabeth on the right and the legend ELIZABETH-II-D-G-REG-F-D-2008 on a seven-sided die. On the reverse side, the Royal Coat of Arms appears with an off-centre effect, and the legend on the right side conveys the facial value in letters – “TWENTY PENCE“. They were the so-called 20p “Royal Shield of Arms“.

These coins were made of cupro-nickel (84% copper and 16% nickel) and their specifications were a weight of 5 grams and a diameter of 21.4 mm. The detail on the reverse side was designed by Matthew Dent.

According to various sources, between 50,000 and 250,000 of the 136 million pieces minted appear without the date on the front. The explanation for this is that the previous obverse of the 20p coin depicting “The Tudor Rose” was used by mistake. The date (2008) was shown on the reverse, so the coin was not dated.

The cause of the error can be seen in the below images of the three different editions. Photo courtesy of the Royal Mint website.

The important thing to know is that this rare erroneous coin (maximum 250,000 coins out of the total 136 million) can be found in circulation today with a face value of 20p, and can be easily sold for upwards of GBP 21 (USD 27.8). In fact, on 23 August 2020, an original copy was sold on eBay for GBP 36.50 (USD 47.83). In the past, however, in November 2018, GBP 224.81 (USD 296.5) was paid.

But attention must be drawn to the fact that there are many forgeries of this rare 20p coin.

#10. 2002 £2 XVII Commonwealth Games N. Ireland

Issued on the occasion of the 17th Commonwealth Games held in Manchester from 25 July to 4 August 2002, together with three other coins (those of Scotland, Wales and England). They differ from each other in the flags appearing on the central left-hand side of the reverse.

They each weigh-in at 12 grams and have a diameter of 28.4 mm. This rare two-pound coin has a core made of cupronickel (75% copper and 25 nickel) and an exterior made of brass and nickel (76% copper, 4% nickel and 20% zinc). The design of the front corresponds to Ian Rank-Broadley and the back to Matthew Bonaccorsi, where Celebration, Victory and Sportsmanship are represented in a feminine form. On the edge appears the legend “SPIRIT OF FRIENDSHIP – MANCHESTER 2002”.

The four types of coins were not produced in the same numbers, and the £2 coin of Northern Ireland is the one with the smallest circulation of all. For reference, the following units of each type were minted:

• Northern Ireland: 485,500 units
• England: 650,500 units
• Scotland: 771,750 units
• Wales: 588,500 units

According to www.changechecker.org the four £2 coins are ranked according to their scarcity, so in the same order as shown above.

In August 2020, the £2 coin of Northern Ireland has reached an auction value of GBP 53 (USD 69.45).

There is also a set of the series that can be purchased online, comprising the four FDC coins in storage.

#11. 50p UK Presidency of the European Union and the Single Market (1992/93)

This 50p coin had a circulation of 109,000 units, even less than the famous “Kew Gardens” 50p coin, making it both more sought after and harder to find. With the 7 sides characteristic of these coins, it has a diameter of 27.3 mm, a weight of 8 grams and is minted in cupronickel (75%-25%).

Raphael Maklouf designed the obverse, and the bust of the Queen in headdress can be seen on the right-hand side of the coin accompanied by the legend ELIZABETH II DEI-GRA-REG-F-D.

The design on the back was the work of Mary Milner Dickens and depicts a table with twelve joined stars and twelve chairs around a table. The acronym “UK” appears on the chair at the head of the table (at 12 o’clock). The date “1992” appears at the top left and “1993” at the right. Underneath is the value of “50 PENCE”.

This currency, which in the first months of circulation was neither demanded nor sought after in the market despite its very low circulation, has become one of the most valuable this year (2020) after the official abandonment of the European Union by the United Kingdom on 31 January 2020.

The 2020 Brexit 50p coin also gained popularity, but its economic value is rather insignificant compared to that of the 1992/93 piece. In August this year, we saw auction sales ranging from GBP 70 (USD 92.03) to GBP 86 (USD 113.07) for uncirculated pieces, and an auction price was GBP 22 (USD 28.92) for a circulated one.

Rafa Sánchez

Numismatic collector with a passion for history, particularly Spanish history.
I have a degree in Business Administration and Management and numismatics studies at the University of Murcia (Spain).