If you've got any of these £2 coins then you're in the big bucks

One of the greatest thrills in life is buying something for one price, then selling it for a higher one. It’s how the world goes round, yes, but when it’s a personal transaction, it’s all the more exciting. Like if you ever bought a packet of Pokémon cards when you were a kid but ended up with a rare one, and boyed it off on some sucker for a tidy dollar – it’s great fun.

Which is why selling coins for a higher denomination than they are legally worth is the best type. It’s got the literal price written on it, yet you’ve just sold it for 1,000 times that – what sort of mug would buy that off you? Well, it turns out that there are many of them, and they are called: coin collectors.

They like to spend lots of money on things like 50p pieces, and in today’s case, £2 coins. Ever since the £1 coin’s big brother was introduced way back in 1998 (a wondrous year that you’ll remember because Species II AND I Still Know What You Did Last Summer came out), the Royal Mint has introduced a scattering of limited edition, special coins, and it’s these ones that are worth the bunce.

Changechecker.org has compiled a ‘scarcity index’ that lists the most valuable and rare £2 coins. Check below to see if you have any:

You can match up the coins with their names here.

That Commonwealth Games special at number one there has gone for as much as £72 on eBay. That’s the Irish version, though; the England edition will get you £36, the Scotland one will fetch £27, and the Wales design will nab you £28.

Other special editions include the Shakespeare Tragedy (#8), which has gone for £16, as has the Great Fire Of London edition (#6). Other rare coins include the King James Bible double-quidder (#13), which has been known to go for £15 online.

So basically, next time you pick up a £2 coin that doesn’t look like the others – quickly run it by the index or search for it online to see if you’re in for a pretty penny. Or pound. Or numerous pounds. A handsome hundred, let’s call it.