An expert collector has sounded the alarm after a common 1981 UK coin was listed on eBay for an astonishing £10,000, a price he describes as completely unrealistic for an item found in millions of British homes.
The £10,000 eBay Listing
The alert was raised by a specialist known online as the Coin Collecting Wizard. In a recent TikTok video, he expressed disbelief after seeing a news article about an eBay listing where a 1981 Charles and Diana commemorative crown was priced at £10,086.70, with the seller also open to 'best offers'.
This specific coin was produced by the Royal Mint in 1981 to celebrate the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer. It is a large, cupro-nickel coin officially valued at 25 pence, despite its size being larger than a modern 50p piece.
Why The Coin Isn't Worth Thousands
The expert was quick to dismantle the listing's high price. He emphasised that the coin's ubiquity is the primary reason for its modest value. "They made millions of them. Literally millions," he stated. "That means almost everyone's nan has one in a drawer somewhere."
He further explained that the coin's composition of cupro-nickel, rather than silver or gold, means its intrinsic metal value is merely a few pence. While some were sold in presentation cases, such as blue boxes or red wallets, these are also considered "very common" and do not command a high price. The expert concluded that "absolutely none [are] worth £10,000" unless there is an extreme, authenticated minting error.
How to Accurately Gauge a Coin's Value
For anyone looking to buy or sell coins, the Coin Collecting Wizard offered crucial advice: ignore the asking prices and instead check the 'sold' listings on eBay. This reveals what people are genuinely willing to pay, rather than what sellers are hoping to get.
Following his own advice, an investigation into sold listings for the 1981 crown reveals a starkly different picture. Examples of the very same coin have recently sold for £2.24, £2.21, and £3.75.
This realistic valuation is echoed by established dealers. The Westminster Collection is currently offering the coin for £12.50. On its website, it provides further historical context, noting that this was one of only four decimal crown coins ever struck and the first to feature three people—the conjoined profiles of the bridal couple—on a British coin.
The key takeaway for collectors and the public is clear: always verify a coin's market value through completed sales before making any purchase, as ambitious online listings can be highly misleading.
