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A coin that looks like regular 20p but is actually rare is set to sell for £700. The 25p coin, which is made from nickel brass, has a shield on one side and the Sovereign’s Orb on the other and also features the words ‘Experimental coin’ and ‘Royal Mint trial’.
The coin is actually a “trial piece” or otherwise known as a “pattern coin” that was released by Royal Mint before the 20p was released into circulation in 1982. At the time, authorities had not decided whether the new coin would be worth 20p or 25p.
It will now go under the hammer today at RWB Auctions where experts believe it could fetch between £500 and £700. YouTuber Christopher Collects, who works for RWB Auctions, said: “20p coins are a fixture in our change now, but the Royal Mint seems to have experimented with various ideas before they settled on the seven-sided coin we all recognise.
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“Trial pieces would have been used to demonstrate the concept of a new coin to officials and may have been sent out to businesses that handle lots of cash to try out. This trial coin could easily be mistaken for a 20p, but we are certain it will sell for a lot more than that.”
The 25p coin is part of a specialist sale of historic and modern currency organised by RWB Auctions. The auction house, which opened in the town’s High Street in January, previously sold a scarce Lord Kitchener £2 for £1,000 and an unusual Olympics 50p for £1,500.
There is thought to be no more than 50 in circulation and even fewer made from nickel brass like the one which was handed out in change to a man in Wiltshire. It’s rarity means auctioneers expect to sell the item for between £500 and £700 at the RWB Auctions in Royal Wootton Bassett on Wednesday.
