Top 6 list of most valuable and rarest 20p coins: how much are they worth?

Has a certain undated 20p coin piqued your curiosity? Here’s our list of rare 20p coins to keep an eye out for – including the famous undated 20p. We also cover how and where to sell rare 20p coins in the UK and how to save money if you’re selling coins internationally.

Why are some 20p coins determined to be rare?

The important thing to understand is that the price of something is determined by demand. So, you’ll want to know what it is that coin collectors are looking for.

Undoubtedly, the first thing that comes to mind is the rarity of a coin. But this doesn’t mean that you should only look at how many of a certain coin was minted. You’ll also want to consider interesting and unique coins.

Beautiful designs, historic significance and highly rare errors all make coins appealing for collectors.

How much are rare 20p coins worth?

While most 20p coins sell for a few pounds, there are certain coins that sell for significantly more. One of the most famous 20p coins, the undated coin from 2008, has recently been selling for up to 90 pounds.

You’ll also want to keep an eye out for coins with unique errors, like being struck off-centre. We spotted some 20p coins with errors selling for about ten times higher than their error-free counterparts on eBay.

Top 6 most valuable and rarest 20p coins

Here’s our list of rare 20p coins to look out for.

1. Bronze 20p coin

An extremely rare find, this coin is the result of a blank bronze coin accidentally ending up at the presses and being struck with the 20p design. It’s not very likely you’ll come across one, but you never know…

Collector Alun Barker bought a bronze 20p for 50 pounds on eBay in 2017. He then sent it off to The Royal Mint, who confirmed that it is an error coin and issued a certificate of accreditation. In August of 2023 Alun Barker sold the coin for a whopping 1,400 pounds!¹

Even though The Royal Mint had said it is the only known coin of its kind, collector David Crosier uncovered another bronze 20p coin the same year.²

This just goes to show that collectors will pay a nice premium for very unique coins. So it definitely pays to keep your eyes open for anything unusual!

2. Blank 20p coin

In December of 2023 The Sun reported on a one-off error coin that had sold on eBay for 430 pounds.³ One side of the 20p coin was completely blank. The seller said that the error happened due to a rogue 20p coin blank being struck by the obverse and reverse dies and then sticking to the reverse die.

It’s not known if other coins like this exist. Keep an eye out just in case, because coins with rare errors can sell for a nice sum.

3. 2008 Undated 20p

This rare 20p is highly sought after and you may have even heard of it. In November 2008, a rare error happened – some 20p coins were minted without the year on them. These coins were some of the first in 300 years to be released into circulation without a date on them!

Out of the 136 million 20p minted in November of 2008, only about 250,000 were struck without a date.

Are you wondering how this error happened in the first place? The previous ‘Tudor Rose’ design had the date on either side of the crown. But, the new 2018 ‘Royal Coat of Arms’ design did not include a date at all.

This of course meant that the date had been shifted to the ‘heads’ side of the coin, or the obverse. By accident the old dateless obverse design was used for these 250,000 coins that ended up without a date on either side.

When we checked in February of 2024, coins in very good condition sold for up to 90 pounds on eBay. The average selling price was 50–70 pounds.

4. 2008 Tudor Rose

Due to the 2008 design change we already covered above, there weren’t as many Tudor Rose 20p coins minted as in the previous years. However, there were still 11 million of them released into circulation, so it isn’t exactly a rarity.

The beautiful design features a stylized Tudor Rose, with the Imperial State Crown resting on top of it.

We had a look on eBay and considering it’s just a 20p coin, they still go for multiples of their worth. The average selling price is 3–6 pounds.

5. 1996-1997 Isle of Man

Special edition 20p coins from Gibraltar and the Channel Isles are also sought after by collectors. You won’t find these coins among your change in the UK, because the businesses here don’t generally accept coins issued by anyone else besides the Royal Mint. But, if you’ve ever visited the Isle of Man and have some leftover change from there, you might come across one of these.

The Isle of Man 20p celebrates the annual Rally of Isle of Man, that’s been running since 1979. On the reverse design a Subaru Impreza is leading a Ford Escort Cosworth round a downhill right hand bend.

On eBay these 20p coins sell on average for around 5 pounds a piece, as of February 2024. Though, we also saw one that had sold for 11 pounds at the end of 2023.

6. Guernsey

The Guernsey 20p was issued between 1985-1997 in several designs.

The ‘Bailiwick of Guernsey’ 20p gets its name from the obverse side, where the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II and the Guernsey coat of arms are surrounded by the words ‘Elizabeth II Bailiwick of Guernsey’. Raphael David Maklouf designed the 3rd portrait of the Queen, used on this coin.

We saw this 20p sell recently (in February 2024), for 1–4 pounds on average.

Another one we spotted being sold on eBay is with a distinctive design - a milk can! Featured on the photo above, this 20p coin issued from 1982-1983 has recently sold for around 3 pounds.

How to sell rare 20p coins?

These days, when everything happens online, it’s very easy to sell, well, almost anything. You have a choice of different marketplaces, like eBay, places that sell antiques or collectibles and different online auction houses.

Should you have some highly valuable coins in your hands, consider consulting a coin appraiser to make sure you get the right price.

Where to buy or sell rare 20p coins in the UK?

Besides the already mentioned eBay, you’ll also find many auctioneers to choose from. All you need to do is a bit of googling and comparing between providers.

Should you have a potential buyer or seller – like a collector or dealer – lined up, it’s important to do your due diligence, to avoid possible scammers.

If you’re buying coins, it’s also a good idea to check online for known signs of counterfeit coins for the particular coin you’re interested in, as well as how to identify an authentic one.

And, if you want to buy coins or other collectibles from abroad in other currencies than the British pound, consider using the money services provider Wise. The Wise account lets you make international payments for low fees and mid-market exchange rates and you can get a Wise card to spend like a local in 150+ countries worldwide. It’s not a bank account but offers similar features.

Learn more about the Wise account 💰

Whether you’re looking to buy or sell a rare 20p coin, hopefully you now have a clear idea of what they’re valued at and which coins to keep an eye out for! You never know when you might find a small fortune lying around…

Sources used for this article:

Sources last checked on date: 18-Feb-2024