Rare coin alert to football fans - a special £2 piece may be worth a hefty sum

A rare £2 coin has been valued at over £1,434- so it's definitely worth checking your change to see if you have one

A rare £2 coin has been valued at over £1,434- so it's definitely worth checking your change to see if you have one.

One such coin has been valued at an eye-watering £1,434, time to start digging through your spare change.

The golden treasure was minted by the Royal Mint in 1996 to mark the 10th European football championship, Euro '96, which took place on home soil.

The tournament saw matches played across eight key English cities: Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, and Sheffield.

England's dreams were dashed in the semi-finals, while Germany clinched the title against the Czech Republic in a 2-1 finale at Wembley.

Almost 30 years later, these commemorative £2 coins are still circulating, with thousands of them out there.

So don't leave that change jar unturned, as one of these special £2 coins could make you a winner.

The Britannia Coin Company explained: "The competition - known informally as the Euros - has been held every four years since 1960.

"The England team didn't win Euro 96 and haven't taken home the trophy yet, but that hasn't stopped this commemorative £2 from becoming popular among sporting fans and collectors of British coins."

Sculptor John Wills created the unique coins, which feature a prominent football motif and the year '1996' at their centre. The flipside bears a young portrait of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Currently, collectors can purchase one of these coins from dealer Chards for £1,434. However, various other variations have been listed on eBay for as much as £1,996 and £2,990.

But if you're not the lucky owner of this football coin, fear not. There's a whole cache of potentially valuable coins that could be sitting forgotten in your attic.

Take for example a rare 1933 piece that recently sold for £140,000, as only seven are known to exist in the entire world.

Chris Yang, Co-founder of Coins Value, previously told The Star: "In sum, examine your coins closely, have them professionally identified and graded, and work with experienced numismatists to determine the true value of your coins so that you can sell them for the best price.

"Remember, the excitement of coin collecting isn's always about striking gold; it's about connecting with history and discovering hidden treasures. Your old coin jar might hold more than just spare change - it could be a portal to a fascinating past."