3 rare £1 coins that are worth over £150 today: Check your change

Every time a £1 coin lands in your palm, there’s a tiny chance you’re holding far more than 100 pennies’ worth. A few £1 pieces — hiding in jam jars, gloveboxes, and till drawers — can sell for well over £150. The trick is knowing which three to look for, and what separates treasure from spare change.

A man paid with a handful of coins, and one of them caught the light strangely — a 12‑sided pound with a tired shine and a sharp little glint on the security patch. The cashier didn’t look twice. He pushed it into the tray like any other quid.

Later, that same coin could have paid someone’s gas bill. Or not — because the right £1 can do more than that. It can pay for a weekend away.

Three £1 coins that can smash £150 — if you know what you’re seeing

Let’s cut straight to it. There are three £1 pieces that regularly create headlines and heated forum threads. First, the **2015 £1 “Trial Piece” (12‑sided)** — not legal tender, but punched by the Royal Mint for testing machines before the 2017 launch. Then, the 2017 12‑sided £1 with major minting errors — the dramatic stuff sellers love to post, like off‑centre strikes or missing/plated features. Finally, the **2011 Edinburgh City £1** from the old round series — the scarcest of the circulating “round pounds” and a darling in high grade.

Here’s a real‑world picture. A clean 2015 Trial Piece in good nick has been known to fetch £200–£400 from keen collectors, sometimes more when boxed with paperwork. A standout 2017 error — think misaligned bimetal ring, rotated design, or a clear “missing” security image — can leap past £150, provided it’s a true mint error and not just battered pocket change. The 2011 Edinburgh round pound rarely rockets raw, but in exceptional, slabbed condition it can tip into the £150–£300 bracket.

Why these three? Scarcity plus story. The Trial Piece was never meant for your wallet, which makes the survivors catnip. 2017 error coins capture that lottery-ticket thrill, and dramatic errors are naturally scarce. Edinburgh 2011 blends low mintage with nostalgia — a last hurrah of the round pound era. Put simply: demand meets a small supply, and the price moves. That’s all a market is.

How to spot them in seconds — and avoid the traps

Start with the 12‑sided Test/Trial. You’re looking for a 12‑sided £1 dated 2015 — and the word “TRIAL” features on it. The piece looks like the newer £1, but with unmistakable “trial” lettering that gives the game away. Some arrived in little plastic wallets sent to industry; others drifted out over time. If it looks like the regular 2017 coin and doesn’t say “trial” anywhere, it’s not a Trial Piece, no matter what a listing claims.

Next, the 2017 error. Anchor your eye on three details: the security patch, the join between outer ring and inner disc, and alignment. The security “hologram” should flick between “£” and “1” under light; when it’s missing or misapplied, it shows flat or wrong. The bimetal ring should sit snug — big gaps or overlaps can signal an off‑centre strike. Flip the coin top to bottom; a strong rotation can indicate a die alignment error. Let’s be honest: nobody really does that every day.

For the **2011 Edinburgh £1**, think round, not 12‑sided. The reverse shows Edinburgh’s coat of arms with a three‑towered castle, and the date reads 2011. These were demonetised in 2017, so you’ll find them in jars, not tills. Top value lives in top condition — sharp details, a healthy lustre, minimal knocks. On a good day, a graded “MS” beauty will outmuscle a handful of worn examples without breaking a sweat.

“Condition is king. Scarcity gets you noticed, but grade gets you paid,” says a veteran dealer who’s watched round pounds for decades.

• Look for “TRIAL” on 2015 pieces, and 12 sides.
• Test the 2017 security patch under a bright light.
• For Edinburgh 2011, chase detail: crisp castle lines and clean fields.
• Check completed sales, not just ambitious listings.
• Photograph both sides in daylight before you message a buyer.

What your change can teach you — and why stories sell coins

We’ve all had that moment where a coin on the kitchen table feels heavier than its little circle of metal. That’s the hook. The 2015 Trial Piece carries the origin story of Britain’s first 12‑sided quid; it’s a backstage pass, stamped. 2017 errors invite the eye to play detective, to catch the Mint blinking. Edinburgh 2011 is a postbox-red postcard from a pound that no longer spends, a tiny relic of bus fares and pints paid in round gold‑coloured discs.

Price doesn’t float in space. It rides on proof: clear photos, sane descriptions, and — when stakes rise — certificates from grading firms like NGC or PCGS. A raw coin can absolutely do well if it’s obviously special, but the bigger the number you’re chasing, the more a sealed grade calms buyers’ nerves. *Hype is cheap; evidence banks the sale.* Echo that in your listing and in your inbox.

There’s a mindset shift too. Don’t go hunting unicorns every week. Take a slow browse through your old holiday coins and that mug by the microwave. **Reality check: most coins will be ordinary**. That’s fine. The few that aren’t will stand out — a strange date, a sharp “TRIAL,” a castle you’ve never noticed. The joy here isn’t just in flipping for a profit. It’s in seeing the tiny stories we pass around without looking.

Now, what’s the smart way to move if you think you’ve struck lucky? Photograph the coin in natural light on a plain background. One straight‑on shot for each side, one at an angle to show the security patch on a 2017 piece, and a clear edge photo for round pounds. Compare your coin to official images on Royal Mint Museum pages and trusted collector sites. Don’t copy someone else’s error headline; describe what you can actually see.

When you’re convinced, check sold prices, not the shouty listings. Search “2015 £1 Trial Piece sold,” “2017 £1 error sold,” or “2011 Edinburgh £1 graded” and filter to completed sales. Cross‑reference at least three results to get a feel for a real price, not a one‑off spike. If you’re nervous, post on a reputable UK coin forum and ask for eyes on your photos. People love to help if you come with a clear question and decent images.

Before you part with it, ask yourself what you want: quick sale or maximum return. A local coin dealer might pay less than an online auction but hand you cash today. Auction houses and grading can lift the final price yet take weeks. And yes, scammers exist. Ship tracked, keep messages on‑platform, and resist the panic buyer who wants you to meet in a car park “right now for cash.” Soyons honnêtes : personne ne fait vraiment ça tous les jours.

What stays with you after the sale

Finding a valuable £1 coin rewires how you look at money for a while. You start noticing edges and dates, listening for that different clink. You talk to your kids about coats of arms and why a castle sits on a tiny disc. Some readers will sell and smile; others will tuck a rarity into a drawer as a keepsake. Both choices make sense.

There’s a larger joy here that isn’t priced in pounds. You become part of the slow, chatty river of British collecting — the quiet thrill of spotting something rare, the patience to check it twice, the small discipline of care. Share your find if you make one. Ask around. Your story might be the nudge that helps someone else take a second look at their change — and that’s how a hobby stays alive.

FAQ :

• How do I tell a real 2015 Trial Piece from a fake?Look for “TRIAL” on the design and the 2015 date on a 12‑sided blank. Compare with images from trusted sources; if it looks exactly like a normal 2017 coin, it isn’t a Trial Piece.
• Are all 2017 £1 coins with scratches “errors”?No. Post‑mint damage is common and worthless. True errors show mis‑manufacture at the Mint, like misaligned rings, strong die rotation, or a missing security image.
• Can a circulated 2011 Edinburgh £1 hit £150?Only rarely. Worn coins tend to sell modestly. The big prices come from superb, graded examples with sharp detail and lustre.
• Should I get my coin graded?If you’re chasing a high price or you’ve got a Trial Piece or dramatic error, third‑party grading (NGC/PCGS) can build buyer confidence and support stronger bids.
• Where should I sell a rare £1 coin?Options include specialist dealers, reputable auction houses, and online marketplaces. Check completed sales first and choose the route that matches your timeline and risk comfort.