A rare £1 coin has sold for more than 122 times its value.
The 2025 coin, featuring King Charles III on the front and a bee design on the reverse, was sold for £122.08 on August 17 after attracting attention for a minting error.
Part of the King's head extends into the gold outer ring of the coin, making it look as though the top of his head has been cut off.
The error, which should not appear on the coin, is believed to be the reason for its high sale price.
A listing for the coin described the error: "2025 King Charles £1 Coin minting errors. Oval centre, head in outer ring."
The coin was first issued in April 1983 to replace the £1 note and has since seen several design changes.
Originally round and thicker than other coins, the £1 coin was made easily recognisable by its ‘yellow’ colour.
In 2017, the round design was replaced by the current 12-sided version.
Five Incredibly Rare and Valuable British Coins
What makes a coin valuable?
The 50 pence piece has become the most valued and collected coin in the UK, with many collectable designs appearing on its heptagonal canvas.
Its 27.5mm diameter makes it the largest of any British coin, and allows space for decorative pictures. It has often been used to celebrate big events over the past 50 years of British history.
The rarest coins tend to be of the greatest value, with the mintage (number of coins with each design made) being the fundamental attraction for collectors.
Along with the design, other aspects of the coin which increase value are the condition of the coin and whether it has an error in its design.
The way in which it is sold can also determine the coin’s value - while some coin collectors will bid vast amounts of money on eBay or at auction, others opt for more robust valuations by selling via a coin dealer.
Royal Mint top 10 most valuable 50p coins
Here is a list of the top 10 most valuable coins, when they were made and how many were minted:
- Atlantic Salmon (2023), 200,000
- Kew Gardens (2009), 210,000
- Olympic Wrestling (2011), 1,129,500
- Olympic Football (2011), 1,161,500
- Olympic Judo (2011), 1,161,500
- Olympic Triathlon (2011), 1,163,500
- Peter Rabbit (2018), 1,400,000
- Flopsy Bunny (2018), 1,400,000
- Olympic Tennis (2011), 1,454,000
- Olympic Goalball (2011), 1,615,500
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