Rare 2008 20p coin worth 300 times its value as people told to check their spare change

The coin, produced in 2008, is now said to be worth around £60 due to a so-called 'mule error' that meant it 'slipped into' circulation without anyone noticing.

A coin expert has advised Brits to "stop spending" their 20p coins. Instead, they have been advised to check for a rare error that could make them worth more than 300 times their face value.

The coin, which was minted in 2008, is now said to be worth around £60 due to a so-called "mule error" that allowed it to enter circulation unnoticed.

Although these coins are considered "rare", they're not "impossible to find".

Thousands were produced with the mistake that collectors highly prize.

On TikTok, the coin expert, known as Coin Collecting Wizard, warned: "Stop spending your 20p coins without checking them first because one from 2008 with no date is worth £60."

Usually, the date of a 2008 20p coin can be found on the reverse, often referred to as tails, side of the coin, reports the Manchester Evening News.

He further explained: "Normally, the date on a 20p is on the reverse right under the crown. But in 2008, something strange happened. A small number of 20ps were minted with a new obverse - the shield side paired with the old reverse Tudor rose but neither side has a date.

"This is what we call a mule error. When mismatched dies are used and this one slipped into circulation without anyone noticing."

The "rare" 20p coins will feature the shield design on the reverse, but no date.

He continued: "Normally, 20p coins have the date on the back, but if you check and there's no date on either side, you might be holding the rare one.

"These undated 20ps are rare but not impossible to find in average condition. They go for £60 plus. People are still finding them in their change even 15 years later."

The Royal Mint clarified on its website: "In November 2008, a number of 20p coins were incorrectly minted, resulting in the coins being undated.

"This problem affected less than 250,000 coins of the 136 million 20p pieces minted in 2008-09 and was due to the previous obverse (the 'heads' side) being used with the new reverse (the 'tails' side) design, meaning the year of issue did not feature at all.

"These coins remain legal tender and still have a face value of 20p."

Collectors continue to search high and low for these sought-after 2008 misprints, with several undated 20p coins fetching between £50 to £100 on eBay.

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The coin expert added: "If you find one in good condition, it could be worth over £100."

One commenter said: "I found one about two years ago and nearly spent it in the supermarket."

Another added: "I have one of these in a coin collection my grandfather started."

A third TikTok user stated: "My mum found one of these and put it in a drawer where it stayed for 10 years before I realized what it was."

The coin expert's post has now been viewed more than 1.8 million times and has 188,800 likes.

The post has also been shared widely on other social media platforms, with many users expressing surprise and disbelief at the coin's value.

Some users have also shared their own experiences of finding rare coins in their spare change.

One user said that they found a rare 50p coin in their pocket change a few weeks ago and sold it for £130 on eBay.

Another user said that they found a rare £1 coin in their change a few years ago and it was valued by a coin dealer at over £1,000.

If you're interested in learning more about rare coins, you can follow the coin expert on TikTok.

He regularly posts videos about different rare coins and coins errors, as well as tips for collecting coins.