People are being told to check their loose change after a mistake was spotted on some £2 coins. Experts believe the inscription around the edge of the coin has a major error.
The affected coin was minted in 2016 and features an image of the army. However the words printed on the outer rim are thought to be from a different coin entirely.
It appears that some coins had the words "the whole city in dreadful flames" etched. These were meant for coins commemorating the Great Fire of London, reports The Mirror.
The correct inscription should say "for king and country". Change experts Coin Hunter said it had found examples of the coin which they say could fetch around £100 if sold.
The first 2016 Army £2 coin showing the incorrect edge inscription was found recently in a bank bag of change in North Ayrshire. It is not known whether the error occurred in coins struck for circulation or those that were sold by the Royal Mint in collectable packs.
A total of 9,550,000 coins of this design were struck for general circulation. Just 50,047 Brilliant Uncirculated coins were minted for the collectable packs.
Anyone with one of the coin packs should be able to see the edge of the coin without opening the packaging. Change checking experts from Coin Hunter told The Mirror that the coin could be worth £100.
The 2016 Army £2 coin was the third issue in the Royal Mint’s five-year First World War Centenary series. It was minted to commemorate the role of the Army. The reverse of the coin was designed by Tim Sharp and shows the outline of the face of a solider.
Coins that have been made with mistakes on them are called "error coins" and are extremely valuable to collectors. This is because they could be only one of a handful, or one of a kind - so they're hard to find.
People should always be wary and do 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 people work out if a coin is the real deal or not. The Royal Mint will also verify coins.
However anyone selling a coin needs to be aware that there isn't a guarantee for how much it could raise on eBay unless a reserve price is set. Coins are really only worth what someone is willing to pay for them.
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