Rare 2p coin found in piggy bank sells for £750, smashing its £300 estimate

A rare 2p coin has shocked auctioneers near Swindon, after it was predicted to sell for £300, but made closer to a thousand.

A rare 2p coin has shocked auctioneers near Swindon, after it was predicted to sell for £300, but made closer to a thousand.

The coin, which has gone under the hammer at RWB Auctions, was first found among loose change in a piggy bank in the late 1990s.

The owner noticed that the coin was unusual as it was a silver colour unlike the standard bronze, but kept it as a curiosity until they noticed a similar coin go up for auction in 2025.

The seller then got in touch with RWB Auctions, where experts predicted it could be worth £300-400.

But the coin's true worth shocked even the most senior members of the auction house, when it went under the hammer on Tuesday, April 23, for a whopping £750.

Testing has confirmed that the coin was mistakenly made from cupronickel – the same alloy used for 5ps and 10ps. It's also believed that several more like this are still out there.

The 2p worth hundreds is a silver colour, instead of the standard bronze (Image: RWB Auctions) “We know that this is not a one-off, so there are likely similar coins out there, either put aside as a curiosity like this one or still circulating,” said coin expert and YouTuber Christopher Collects, who works with RWB Auctions.

“Keep checking your change!”

Other coins which shocked auctioneers in the sale due to their higher-than-expected value, include a set of rare Isle of Man 10p 'trial coins'.

The coins were hailed by experts as "extremely rare", so it was highly unusual when five of them were collected together in Royal Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire.

Auctioneer Gareth Wasp, from RWB Auctions, has appeared multiple times on Bargain Hunt. (Image: BBC) The last time a set of Isle of Man 10p trial coins appeared at auction in the UK was in July 2021 - so it's not something that happens every day.

The 10p coins were first created for trial and calibration purposes before the Isle of Man made adjustments to the design and size to align it with the UK's decimal currency, and only 200 of them were ever made.

The coins were predicted to sell for £100-200, but actually fetched £340.

Recommended reading:

New base for children in town given green light

REVIEW: Ghost the Musical is a visual masterpiece but something was missing

The Wiltshire pub serving incredibly cheap pints to honour special occasion

Kimberly Day, a coin expert at the Britannia Coin Company based in Royal Wootton Bassett, said: “With only around 200 of these rare ‘AA’ 1992 10p trial coins ever struck, they are incredibly scarce.

"We were thrilled to offer these coins at auction, as they represent a true treasure for collectors.”

Auctioneers at the popular auction house near Swindon have now encouraged Wiltshire locals to keep checking their change, as they hope more rarities will go under the hammer in Royal Wootton Bassett.