A rare £2 coin that appears to be all one colour due to a design error has sold for £255 on eBay. A normal £2 consists of a yellow metal nickel-brass ring on the outside, and a grey cupro-nickel disc in the middle - but this one is all yellow.
The coin, which is dated 2009, sold for £255 exactly, plus £1.50 delivery, after attracting a flurry of 28 bids following a seven-day auction. The impressive sale prices means the £2 exchanged hands for around 127 times its face value. You can see the eBay listing here. Experts at Coin Hunter previously told reporters at The Mirror that this type of error is known as a “yellow” £2 coin. If you find one, it could be worth up to £500.
Coin Hunter says it is unclear how many of this particular error coin could be in circulation. Error coins have a fault or mistake in their design, and they're worth a mint to collectors. The reason why they’re often sought-after is because they are usually hard to come by - in some cases, they are even a complete one-off.
The Royal Mint manufactures between three million and four million coins a day, so it’s easy to see how mistakes can happen. You should always be wary and do your research first before buying any coin on eBay, as there are fakes floating around. Websites and Facebook groups from change experts like Coin Hunter can help you work out if a coin is the real deal or not. You can also ask the Royal Mint to verify coins.
The seller of this “yellow” £2 coin has admitted in the description of his eBay listing that the coin has not been verified by the Royal Mint. If you're selling a coin, be aware that there isn't a guarantee for how much you could get on eBay unless you set a reserve price.
Coins are really only worth what someone is willing to pay for them. For more coins that could be worth a fortune, there is a guide on the rarest error coins that could be worth up to £3,100. A new £2 error coin was recently discovered by experts – and it could be worth £100 if you find one in your spare change. Coin Hunter has found examples of the 2016 Army £2 coin that have been produced by the Royal Mint with the incorrect inscription around the outer rim.
The words “for king and country” should be inscribed on the coin, but instead it reads “the whole city in dreadful flames”. Coin Hunter believes the 2016 Army £2 coin has been struck with the inscription for the Great Fire of London £2 piece by mistake.
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