An Australian man received this 2020 Firefighter $2 coin in his change, but the coin could be worth much more. (Source: Facebook)
It’s a good idea to check your loose change, as it could hold a small fortune. An Australian man found an oddly shaped $2 coin while collecting loose change at a gas station that could be worth thousands of dollars.
An Australian has shared a photo of what they believe to be a “target error” on the 2020 Firefighter $2 coin. Created to honour those who fought the 2019 bushfires, the coloured coin has a mistake in it, depicting the Queen’s face as a ball of fire that should land between two firefighters.
The coloured coin was created to pay tribute to those who fought the 2019 bushfires and features an orange ball of flame in the centre.
“Is this an unusual find?” he asked.
Coin expert Matthew Thompson of Thompson’s Coins and Collectables told Yahoo Finance that it’s unclear how many error coins were made.
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“Nobody knows for sure, and that’s why they’re so popular and collectible – because there are so few in circulation, but nobody knows the exact numbers produced,” Thompson said.
He said it was “highly unusual” for the Australian Mint to make such a mistake, which is why the coins are so sought after and can sell for thousands of dollars.
The man shared a photo of the coin in a collectors group and asked whether it was worth anything.
Downies Collectables recently sold an uncirculated version of this error coin for an astounding $5,950.
Thompson said because the coin was found as loose change, it’s unlikely to fetch the $6,000 it is, but if it is genuine it could be worth several thousand dollars, as the coin’s condition and circulation will affect its value.
“It’s probably worth a few thousand dollars, and if it had been authenticated and archived right after it left the mint, it would be worth even more,” he told Yahoo Finance.
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“If this guy took it from a gas station, it was probably in a safe, it might have been beaten up a little bit, but all of that contributes to the value.”
An uncirculated version of the error coin recently sold for approximately $6,000. (Source: Downies Collectables)
A warning to coin collectors
The thing is, the value of a coin depends on whether or not it is a legitimate error coin.
Thompson said he is aware of counterfeit firefighter coins, in which the fireball paint has been hand-transferred to the reverse of the coin.
“It’s important to be very careful with these kinds of mistakes. Sometimes people get scammed and lose thousands of dollars, so it’s quite dangerous,” he said.
Thompson encouraged collectors to consult with experts to get a professional opinion.
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