We're all being urged to check our change after a rare 20p coin sold for 485 times its face value this week

The 20p piece is a “mule” coin dating from 2008 and was minted without a date on the coin due to an error. The mistake means the coin is considered a collector’s item.

A rare 20p coin has sold for a huge £97 on eBay - an incredible 485 times its face value.

The coin is a “mule” piece, minted in 2008 without a date on the coin due to an error.

The mistake means the coin is now considered a collector’s item.

A batch of coins were issued without dates in 2008 due to an error in the minting process.

An example of a rare undated 20p mule coin (Image: eBay/Getty/Vandervelden)

Prior to November of that year, the date on 20p coins would be found on the tail side.

However, the Royal Mint switched it so that the new coins would now have the date next to the Queen’s head.

A mistake in 2008 led to the old format being used on the Queen’s side and the new format being used on tails.

As a result, the first batch of British coins with no date on them were released into circulation for the first time in more than 300 years.

Around 250,000 20p coins minted in November 2008 are believed to have entered circulation with no date.

And now one has sold on eBay, attracting a winning bid of £97 - 485 times its face value.

Five incredibly rare and valuable British coins

What makes a coin valuable?

The 50 pence piece has become the most valued and collected coin in the UK, with many collectable designs appearing on its heptagonal canvas.

Its 27.5mm diameter makes it the largest of any British coin, and allows space for decorative pictures. It has often been used to celebrate big events over the past 50 years of British history.

The rarest coins tend to be of the greatest value, with the mintage (number of coins with each design made) being the fundamental attraction for collectors.

Along with the design, other aspects of the coin which increase value are the condition of the coin and whether it has an error in its design.

The way in which it is sold can also determine the coin’s value - while some coin collectors will bid vast amounts of money on eBay or at auction, others opt for more robust valuations by selling via a coin dealer.