Royal Mint £1 coin sells for 46 times value as it's 'wrong colour'

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A rare Royal Mint £1 coin has sold for 46 times its value as the outer edge is the wrong colour.

The 'highly unusual' £1 coin sold for £46.04 on Ebay because it was minted with a rare error.

Instead of it being pale-gold, the outer edge of the coin is a 'striking' copper hue.

While the centre of the coin is the expected silver, the outer ring is the completely wrong colour.

Rare Royal Mint £1 coin sells for 46 times value as it's 'wrong colour' (Image: Kennedy News & Media)

In the listing, the coin is described as 'highly unusual' and a 'fantastic addition' for coin collectors, with the error making its value skyrocket.

The listing reads: "Unlike the standard pale-gold nickel-brass rings found on normal £1 coins, this specific 2025 coin has a uniform, vibrant copper tone across the entire outer ring on both sides.

"The colouration is incredibly even, highlighting the mint luster, making it a fantastic addition for any collector of modern UK decimal errors and variations. 

"Circulated, but held by edges and carefully stored in a protective pocket since discovery to preserve the finish."

One keen collector snapped up the coin for £46.04 plus £2.72 postage on Friday October 16.

That means the coin was sold for a whopping 46 times its shop value and will be sure to have Brits checking their change for the same error.

The £1 coin was first issued in April 1983 to replace the £1 note.

To make it easy to identify, the round £1 was thicker than other coins, while its 'yellow' colour allowed it to stand out from the cupro-nickel 'silver' coins already in circulation.

Since then, there have been several different variations of the coin.

In 2017, the familiar £1 round coin was replaced with an all new, 12-sided £1 coin.

The coin was updated again in August 2024 when the first King Charles III coin, which features two honey bees on the reverse, officially entered general circulation.

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