Rare penny coin could make you £127,000 richer - how to spot it
Brits are being told to rummage through their coin collections for what is dubbed the UK's "most expensive coin" which could fetch a jaw-dropping £127,000. This coin, nearly a century-old, is extraordinarily rare and thus highly sought after by collectors.
The coin in question is a 1933 one penny coin. Its rarity stems from the fact that only an estimated six or seven were minted by the Royal Mint. The reverse of this precious penny showcases Britannia wielding a trident, while King George V's portrait is on the other side.
It is crucial for potential treasure hunters to note that only those dated 1933 hold significant value, as other years' pennies don't measure up in worth. In a TikTok video, an aficionado who goes by Coin Collector UK shed light on the coin's staggering value.
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He said: "£127,000 for this old one penny coin. So the date that you want to be checking your pennies for is the year 1933."
To help viewers identify the coin, he displayed a similar one from 1938. "It's actually the closest thing I have, unfortunately I don't have the original one," he said. "And the 1933 penny will be a George V penny. It’s definitely one you want to be looking out for."
He lauded it as "one of the most expensive British coins ever", citing the astonishing sale price of over £127,000 at a US auction in 2016. He added: "Two were given to museums, one to the Royal Mint and another to the British Museum. Then two were sold off into private collections, one of which sold for £127,000. So, it's always worth checking your old jars of coins in case you do have a rare 1933 penny."
Regarding the coin, the Royal Mint website explains: "No record was kept at the time of how many pennies dated 1933 were made but it is thought to be no more than six or seven. With no precise record of the number made, and with the coin having been struck to ordinary circulation standard, it seemed possible that one might turn up in everyday use, prompting a generation to search their change for the rare but ultimately elusive penny of 1933."
