KEEN coin collectors can now get their hands on a brand new £5 coin celebrating the 200th anniversary of Queen Victoria’s birth.
The new coin features a “young head” of Victoria, as well as innovations from the Victorian era such as the telephone and cogs to represent the industrial revolution.
PA:Press Association
Unfortunately, there are no plans for the coin to go into circulation so one isn’t likely to turn up in your change any time soon.
The £5 piece is available to buy directly from Royal Mint’s website with prices starting at £13 for a brilliant uncirculated version in cupro-nickel and then go up to an eye-watering £49,995 for one in gold measuring 10 centimetres in diameter.
The gold coin also features a double portrait of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.
Yet the simpler version may be worth more than its original price online.
PA:Press Association
An earlier commemorative coin celebrating The Snowman cost a tenner when it was released at Christmas, but it later sold for up to £30 on eBay.
So it could be worth having a look at the auction site to see whether you can cash in.
Queen Victoria, born on May 24 in 1819, inherited the throne just one month after she turned 18.
She then reigned for more than six decades until her death on January 22, in 1901.
Nicola Howell, director of the consumer division at the Royal Mint, said: “Queen Victoria is one of Britain’s most iconic monarchs, so it’s fantastic to be celebrating 200 years since her birth.
“Our £5 commemorative coin is a beautiful tribute to her incredible reign and really honours the remarkable developments that were achieved during her era.”
Is your small change worth a fortune?
IF you think that you might have a rare coin then you might be able to make a real mint.
The most valuable coins are usually those with a low mintage or an error.
These are often deemed the most valuable by collectors.You should check how much the coin is selling for on eBay.
Search the full name of the coin, select the “sold” listing and then toggle the search to “highest value”.
It will give you an idea of the amount of money that the coin is going for.
You can either choose to sell the coin on eBay or through a specialist like ChangeChecker.org.
If you choose the auction website then remember to set a minimum price that is higher or at the very least equal to the face value of the coin.
Even if your coin “sells” on eBay for a high price there’s no guarantee that the buyer will cough up.
In its terms and conditions, the auction website states that bidders enter a “legally binding contract to purchase an item”, but there’s no way to enforce this rule in reality.
The most eBay can do is add a note to their account for the unpaid item or remove their ability to bid and buy.
A year ago, a 50p coin marking 100 years since women gained the right to vote was launched by the Royal Mint.
More recently, the Royal Mint released a new Gruffalo 50p coin to mark 20 years of the children’s story character.
Last month, it also rolled out a new £5 coin as part of its Tower of London collection.
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