Four coins that will make you wealthy overnight as King Charles portrait enters circulation

In a society that is increasingly obsessed with nostalgia it is perhaps no surprise that unearthing an old coin might just land you a fortune.

The new King Charles 10p coins have officially entered circulation but you'll be hoping to dig out a far older coin if you fancy getting rich overnight, with several pieces of change fetching a pretty penny at auction.

Thanks to shows such as Detectorists, you're fairly likely to see some folks heading alongside a beach in the desperate search of some old treasure and while most finds will end up in a museum, there are cases when you can earn millions.

But if you're after coins from the last century rather than ones from ancient times, you've probably got more hope searching through your nan's attic, where some of the coppers in her purse might just change your life, and it's not just from the massive inflation we've seen over the past 50 years.

Often, it's the coins that were released as part of an anniversary celebration or event that will be worth the most, and that's the case with the £2 Lord Kitchener coin that was released in 2014 to mark the 100th anniversary of the First World War. However, it's only the coins that are missing the words 'Two Pounds' on the reverse, which are going for serious amounts at auctions, with an American bidder paying £1000 back in 2024 for the ultra-rare coin.

Of course, you'll probably remember the commemorative coins that were released in the UK during the 2012 Olympics, and it's a very specific version of one of those which could also land you a serious sum.

It's the aquatics-themed 50p, which portrays a goggle-wearing swimmer moving through the water, which you'll need to look out for. But once again, it's the ones with an error which are most coveted, and in this case it is coins where the swimmer's face is obscured with horizontal lines, with one coin selling for £1500 at a 2024 auction.

While you might expect coins of a lesser value to also sell for a little less, that's certainly not the case with a 1983 2p coin which again boasts an error which makes it particularly sought after.

The coin has the inscription 'new pence' instead of the standard 'two pence' and that's apparently enough for some numismatists to shell out around £1000 in some cases.

As stated on the Royal Mint's website: "In 1983 a small number of 2p coins were mistakenly struck with the wording 'new pence' on the reverse.

"Since there are relatively few coins with the date 1983 and the inscription 'new pence' in circulation, they may well have a value higher than face value to a collector.

"The Royal Mint is, however, unable to comment on the value of any individual coin and we would recommend that you should consult a coin dealer."

Understandably, the older the coin, the more it's likely to be worth and if you're lucky enough to own a 1p coin from 1937, you might well be able to sell it for five million times its initial worth.

That's right, the 1p, which is reportedly among 'the world's most significant and valuable coins', has sold for a massive £50,000 because it features King Edward VIII, who famously abdicated the throne after less than a year in charge so that he could marry American socialite Wallis Simpson.

A coin had been produced to celebrate his reign but in the end only 50 were made following his abdication, so if you manage to find one of the 1p coins with his face on it, then you're massively in luck.

The new 10p coins with King Charles' face, as well as the capercaillie bird on the reverse, are likely to be in circulation for as long as he remains on the throne, but it's probably worth hanging onto a couple in case they shoot up in value over the next few years.

Rebecca Morgan, director at the Royal Mint, said: "This is a landmark moment for the nation’s coinage, as people begin finding the very first 10p coins bearing the King’s portrait in their change."

She said of the capercaillie bird appearing on coins: "We hope that by putting this extraordinary bird into millions of pockets and purses, we can spark a nationwide conversation about a species at real risk of vanishing from Britain forever."