The Royal Mint has been creating coins since 886 AD and there are now around 30 billion coins estimated to be in circulation in the UK today

Some are more valuable than others - and can be worth as much as a staggering £1 million for a single coin. Here, we reveal the top 10 most valuable British coins...

The Royal Mint has been creating coins since 886 AD and there are now around 30 billion coins estimated to be in circulation in the UK today. Some are more valuable than others - and can be worth as much as a staggering £1 million for a single coin. Here, we reveal the top 10 most valuable British coins...

Edward VIII pattern coinsThese coins were produced in 1936 upon the accession of King Edward VIII. However, he abdicated in December that year after a reign of just 326 days and before his coronation in order to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson. This meant these remained just as pattern pieces, aka prototypes, rather than entering circulation in January 2020, the Royal Mint sold an Edward VIII Sovereign coin for £1 million, setting a new record for the most expensive British coin ever sold.

Queen Anne Vigo Five-Guinea PieceThis is one of the rarest British coins, dating back to 1703 and the reign of Queen Anne, who was played by Olivia Colman in Oscar-winning film The Favourite. The coin was one of only a handful made from gold bullion captured by the British fleet at the Battle of Vigo Bay in northern Spain on October 23 1702. In 2019, this sold for over $1m (£750,000) at a New York auction.

Una and the LionThis is a £5 British gold coin dated 1839 that commemorates the beginning of Queen Victoria's reign in 1837.It's considered one of the most beautiful British coins ever made.The coin features a young Queen Victoria guiding a lion, based on the character Lady Una from the epic poem The Faerie Queene, while the other side shows artist William Wyon’s famous Young Head portrait of Queen Victoria.Its worth depends on its condition but some have gone for as much as £200,000 to £250,000.

1819 George III Gold SovereignThis is a very rare piece, with just over 3,500 minted. Experts also believe there are only 10 left, owned by private collectors. Auctioneers value them at over £200,000 if in 'extra fine' condition. In May 2013, one was sold for £186,000.

1933 George V pennyThis is considered one of the most valuable and rare British coins - and one was sold in an auction for £72,000 in 2016. It was also originally created as a pattern and was never intended for general circulation. There are only thought to be six or seven George V pennies, with one in the Royal Mint's museum. Meanwhile three pennies were buried beneath the foundation stones of buildings constructed in 1933. One of these sets was stolen, another was sold, and the third is still in place.

1917 George V SovereignBefore the First World War, it was seen as a huge luxury to have gold coins in your change. But during the War, which happened between 1914 and 1918, it was seen as impractical and lavish due to funds being needed for the war effort. Therefore, Sovereigns ceased to be issued for use in circulation and production at The Royal Mint in London ended in 1917. Many of the Sovereigns struck in that year were sent to the United States of America to pay off war debt, making this a rare coin worth as much as £10,500.

1996 Football European Championships Gold Proof £2 CoinThis commemorative £2 coin features a football, the date and 16 small circles to signify the countries taking part in the European Championship football tournament in 1996. It was the first time England had hosted a major tournament since 1966, when they beat Germany 4-2 to take their first and only World Cup title. Just under 2,100 of these 1996 coins were minted, making them especially sought-after. They can be worth over £1,000 but those with errors are more expensive, one is currently being sold on eBay for just under £4,000.

2009 Kew Gardens 50p CoinJust 210,000 of these 50p pieces were released in 2009 to mark the 250th anniversary of London’s Kew Gardens. With 1.5 billions 50ps in circulation since 1997, Kew Gardens 50ps make up just 0.013% of all circulating 50ps making them desirable to collectors. Most have been bought up by coin enthusiasts, and are worth over £1