Rare penny with 'strange' error worth £600 could be hiding in your change

Brits are being encouraged to keep their eyes peeled for a rare penny coin that could be worth a small fortune. This particular bronze coin, potentially fetching up to £600 at auction, boasts an unusual error that collectors covet.

Spotting the flaw might prove challenging, yet it's certainly worth the search. A coin enthusiast, known on TikTok as theCoin Collecting Wizard, delved into the details.

Showcasing a 1893 penny in a video, he said: "Hey no biggie, just another old penny worth £600. This penny has a date of 1893 and you need to check this one for a very strange error thatmakes the coin valuable."

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As reported by theDaily Record, the coin displays the customary Britannia figure on its reverse, trident in hand. The obverse features the familiar 'bun head' portrait of Queen Victoria. But what elevates its value is a peculiar mistake in the date.

He continued: "Known as the '1893 over two penny' what you need to pay close attention to is the number '3'. As you can see under the number three it looks like there is the start of a number two."

In his video, he pointed out where the three in 1893 appears to have an additional line emerging from its centre. "The best way to notice this is where the three joins up in the middle," he advised.

"If it doesn't look like they join up neatly then you have found it. The obverse of the coin is the usual Queen Victoria bun head and the reverse is Britannia seated holding a trident."

The specialist commented: "This is such a difficult error to spot but it is well worth your time as uncirculated versions of this coin have sold for £600."

He further guided treasure hunters: "So just remember you are looking for an old English penny from 1893 but that's only the first part. The next bit you need to look for is that 'three over two error'."

Adding a tip for his followers, he said: "Save this for future reference so you know exactly what to look for. Good luck."

Despite over eight million being produced, the 1893 penny's value remains not just in the rarity of its errors; even standard versions fetch a tidy sum due to their age.

At the time of reporting, the Dorset Coin Company was selling a mint condition version of the non-error coin for £275.