Rare coins found in pockets could be worth thousands

We've all heard of rare coins found in pockets that go on to sell for thousands, but not many Wiltshire residents could recognise the rare coins selling right under their noses.

We've all heard of rare coins found in pockets that go on to sell for thousands, but not many Wiltshire residents could recognise the rare coins selling right under their noses.

RWB Auctions, located just outside Swindon, holds regular valuation days and auctions, both in person on Royal Wootton Bassett's High Street and online.

While some of the coins which sell there are antique collectables that are no longer in circulation, many of them are also brought in by regular people looking to increase their wealth.

Here are some of the rare coins which have passed through the auction house this year that are worth looking out for.

The rare coins sold at auction to look out for

Harry Potter coins

(Image: RWB Auctions) Harry Potter fans will find it hard to miss these commemorative coins - but not many will know what they're worth.

This set of four 50ps, which all depict different characters or scenes from the Harry Potter books, are worth just £2 in total in a shop but they all went under the hammer for £120 at RWB Auctions.

Some of them, such as a 2022 50p depicting Harry himself, are incredibly rare with only 196 ever made. But others, such as the Hogwarts Express 50p, are easier to find with 5206 in circulation.

20p with error

(Image: RWB Auctions) Not all coins need to be shiny and new to be worth something. A regular looking 20p coin was included in RWB Auction's February 2025 sale and sold for £70.

Although it might look slightly rusted and old from the outside, no one could tell how old it was as the 'error coin' didn't have any date on it - making it incredibly rare.

Limited edition Princess Diana coins

(Image: RWB Auctions) Most Brits are used to seeing royal faces on their money by now, but it's not very often you come across Princess Diana when paying for your shopping.

Two limited-edition Princess Diana coins, which were first issued in 2016, went under the hammer at RWB Auctions on February 25, 2025.

It's believed that only 1,997 of these were ever made, and these two which depicted Diana all in white fetched £35.

2012 London Olympic coins

(Image: RWB Auctions) The 2012 Olympic Games might not seem like that long ago for some, but its coins are already going up in price.

To mark the London event, The Royal Mint released some £5 silver coins which each depict key people and symbols such as The Beatles lyrics and Big Ben's clock face.

16 of these rare Olympic coins went up for auction in Royal Wootton Bassett last month, and fetched £280.

Nelson and Trafalgar £5 coin

(Image: RWB Auctions) Two five pound coins which went under the hammer on February 26 in Royal Wootton Bassett were worth a whopping £4,400.

The gold proof commemorative coin was released in 2005 and the 'heads' side pictures a regular side profile of Queen Elizabeth which could easily be mistaken for ordinary.

But the 'tails' side of these coins picture Horatio Nelson (1805-2005) in his full uniform on one, and the HMS Victory on the other