Rare coin find could buy a sweet back in the 1970s when he was a boy

Lewis Jones, 28, was told by boss and uncle, John Steele, 55, the rare small coin could buy a sweet back in the 1970s when he was a boy.

A lucky upholsterer has found a rare half-pence piece coin that could buy a sweet in the 1970s when he was a boy.

Lewis Jones, 28, was told by his boss and uncle John Steele, 55, about the small coin which he had never heard of before.

After finding out it could be worth a few quid on the rare coin buyers market, Lewis is keeping the coin safe.

He said: “I’d never even heard of a half-pence piece.

“How could you not lose it, it’s so small and what exactly could half-a-pence buy?

“Back in 1975 you could probably buy a chocolate pink mouse with two half-penny pieces.”

It could be a sign of the times as the UK moves towards a cashless society and the younger generations stop handling so many coins.

John, who runs Curtains & Comfort in Cheshire, said: “I knew the value of a half crown coin even though I didn’t necessarily spend one.

“But now they just don’t have a clue about the money of the last generations. No one talks about coins anymore, it’s all cashless.

“They spend their lives on smart phones and the internet.”

The Cheshire firm, Curtains and Comfort, fixes furniture for some of the country’s finest stately homes and has had some interesting finds.

One of the finds was a hand-written letter hidden away in a secret draw under the seat describing its sentimental value.

Lewis, an upholsterer since he was 18-years-old, has found plenty of old coins that are gifted to the company’s chosen charity.

The fortunate find could help go towards a honeymoon for Lewis, who gets married next year to his dental nurse girlfriend of 10 years.

The pair are from Generation Z, known as Zoomers, born between1997–2012.

Zoomers follow millennials (1981 and 1996)

Zoomers parents are likely to be born from Generation X (1965 to 1980).

If Lewis has children before the end of 2025 they will be Generation Alpha.

John added: “I can well imagine that Generation Alpha won’t even know what a pound coin is at this rate.”