The Kew Gardens 50p hit the headlines in February 2014 for being the rarest circulating coin This can irreversibly damage the coin and in fact lower its value. General dirt can be removed with a damp, non-abrasive cloth but you should always try and avoid using any chemical-based product. Whilst collectors do favour coins which are in a good condition, I should also emphasise the importance of not cleaning your coin to try and improve its appearance. The sooner you can take your coin out of circulation and add it to your collection, the better.
This is detrimental to the coin’s value because the design begins to lose its shape and definition. Of course, some older coins can maintain desirability because of their history, but on a like-for-like basis, a coin with clear definition in the design will certainly be more valuable than the one which has worn down over time. The stark difference in quality between a circulated and uncirculated £1 coin.Ĭirculating coins as you would expect are subject to a lot more wear and tear than the coins you find in presentation packs.
