A rare £1 coin featuring a design flaw that makes it resemble a fried egg has sold for £257.52 on eBay. The coin's silver-coloured centre is misaligned, bleeding into the outer ring, creating an elliptical shape instead of a perfect circle.
All new £1 coins consist of two metal rings: an outer nickel-brass ring and an inner nickel-plated brass alloy core. In this error coin, the inner circle is not centred, resulting in a unique appearance. Such 'error coins' are highly sought after by collectors due to their rarity.
The seller, who has been searching for coin errors for around 20 years, stated that this is the only elliptical example they have encountered. The auction attracted 31 bids over seven days, with the final sale price including £10 for express delivery.
Collectors are advised to exercise caution when purchasing coins online, as fakes exist. Resources such as Coin Hunter websites and Facebook groups can help verify authenticity. The value of a coin ultimately depends on what a buyer is willing to pay.
