Old pound coins came in 26 different reverse designs, each representing a different part of the UK. Think: a thistle for Scotland, a leek for Wales, a flax plant for Northern Ireland, even a Royal Coat of Arms. Most of these are common as muck, but a few are seriously scarce. If your coin has a design featuring a crowned lion, for example (the 1990 and 1991 issues), you’re holding something collectors actually want.
Now, here comes the ironic part: the most valuable old pound coin isn’t actually that old. It’s the 2016 “Royal Shield” design, but wait—there’s a catch. Some of those 2016 coins were accidentally minted with the wrong edge inscription. Instead of the usual “DECUS ET TUTAMEN” (Latin for “An ornament and a safeguard”), you might find a plain edge or a different text. If you’ve got that error coin, you could be looking at £50 to £100 on eBay. Not bad for a piece of pocket change, right?
How to spot if your old £1 coin is worth £60 - Liverpool Echo
The “Edinburgh” Error Coin: The Crown Jewel?
Let me tell you about the holy grail of old pounds: the 2011 “Edinburgh City” design. It shows the city’s coat of arms, and it’s already pretty rare. But here’s the kicker—some of these coins were struck on a wrong planchet (the metal disc) meant for the new 12-sided coin. That makes them a mint error. One sold for over £400 a few years back. Yes, four hundred quid for a coin that used to buy you a meal deal. Imagine finding that in your sock drawer. You’d never look at a Greggs the same way again.
But let’s be realistic: you probably won’t find an Edinburgh error in your piggy bank. The odds are tiny, like winning a very niche lottery. However, condition matters for every coin. A “brilliant uncirculated” old pound—one that’s never been handled, with no scratches or scuffs—is worth more than a battered one. A common design in pristine condition might fetch £5 or £10, which is still a win over its face value. Check the coin’s edge, too; if it’s got a milled edge (tiny ridges) instead of a smooth one, that’s a good sign of an earlier issue.
