If you assumed that all £2 coins were merely valued at £2, you’d be mistaken. Remarkably, one such coin could fetch a staggering £1,269.05 – so, it may be worth giving your piggy bank an extra once over.
The gold coin was first produced by the Royal Mint in 1996, marking the 10th European football championship held in the UK. Matches took place across eight of England’s biggest cities including Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield.
Sadly, it was Germany that eventually took the winning spot, crushing the Czech Republic 2-1 at Wembley, while England was booted out at the semi-finals. Though, now, it’s thought that thousands of its commemorative £2 coins have been floating around for almost 30 years.
So, keep your eyes peeled as finding one could make you a winner after all. The Britannia Coin Company explains: “These collectable coins were released by The Royal Mint in the run-up to the 1996 UEFA European Championships which was hosted by England.
“The competition – known informally as the Euros – has been held every four years since 1960. The England team didn’t win Euro 96 and haven’t taken home the trophy yet but that hasn’t stopped this commemorative £2 from becoming popular among sporting fans and collectors of British coins.”
Sculptor John Wills designed these unique coins, which feature a clear football design on one side with ‘1996’ placed at its centre. On the other side is a portrait of late Queen Elizabeth II, pictured in her younger years.
Right now, coin dealer Chards is selling this coin for an impressive £1,269.05. Though, other sellers on eBay are marketing variations for £1,996 and £2,990 respectively.
But if you don’t happen to have the football coin, don’t worry – there are plenty more coins worth searching your attic for. For instance, just recently, one 1933 coin reportedly sold for a staggering £140,000 as just seven were known to exist in the world.
Chris Yang, Co-founder of Coins Value, previously told The Star: “In sum, scrutinise your coins, have them identified and graded professionally, and work with experienced numismatists to determine the real value of your coins so that you can sell them for the best price.
“Remember, the thrill of coin collecting isn’t always about striking gold; it’s about connecting with history and uncovering hidden treasures. Your old coin jar might hold more than just spare change – it could be a portal to a fascinating past.”