As Australians, we’re no strangers to the thrill of a lucky find, whether it’s a $20 note in an old pair of jeans or a valuable coin in our spare change.
But did you know that some of the coins jingling in your pocket could be worth much more than their face value?
In particular, there’s a rare $2 coin that could fetch you a staggering $300, and it’s still out there in circulation.
Back in 2012, the Royal Australian Mint released two special $2 coins to commemorate Remembrance Day. These weren’t your average coins; they were designed to honour the sacrifices made by our servicemen and women. The first was the $2 Gold Poppy coin, an uncoloured version adorned with the iconic flower. The second, and far more sought-after, was the $2 Red Poppy coin, which featured a striking coloured flower at its centre.
Janelle Hulme, the owner of Nova Coins, shared with Yahoo Finance that these $2 Red Poppy coins were the first coloured coins ever produced by the Mint and have since become extremely popular among collectors. ‘There is interest in red poppies all the time,’ Hulme said. ‘I can’t keep them. If I put them up for sale, they sell instantly; they’re very popular.’
The value of these coins can vary, with the $2 Red Poppy coins typically selling for around $300. However, depending on supply and demand, prices can range from $250 to $350. In contrast, the Gold Poppy coins are less valuable but can still fetch between $40 and $60, especially if they haven’t been in circulation.
One of the challenges with the Red Poppy coins is that the paint can chip off over time. Finding a coin with the paint fully intact can be quite difficult, but even those with some wear and tear can still be worth a decent sum. ‘If you find a 2012 Red Poppy and the paint has completely come off it and there’s no poppy there at all, they can go for $80 to $100,’ Hulme explained.
With only 500,000 of the Red Poppy coins minted, they were initially released to the public through the RSL Red Poppy Appeal. Additionally, the Mint created special C Mintmark versions of the coins, marked with a ‘C’ for Canberra, which are even more valuable. Only 40,902 of these mintmark coins in official folders were released, and they were initially valued at around $800 to $1,000, though prices have since dropped to about $600.
In comparison, there were 5.8 million of the Gold Poppy coins minted, making them more common but still a collector’s item.
Hulme mentioned that many people have stumbled upon the $2 Red Poppy coins in their change, with one customer even finding one at a bottleshop. However, as time goes on, these coins are becoming harder to find. ‘I’ve been looking for a red poppy for ages,’ she said. ‘It’s becoming rarer and rarer that people will find it, but they’re still out there.’
For those who missed out on the original release, the Mint also issued a 10-year anniversary version of the $2 Red Poppy coin for collectors, which currently holds a value of around $200.
So, it might be time to start checking your change a little more closely. Who knows? You could be carrying around a small fortune in your wallet or coin jar. And if you’re lucky enough to find one of these rare coins, you could either save it as a piece of history or cash in on a collector’s passion. Keep an eye out, and happy hunting!
Have you ever found a coin that turned out to be special? Do you check your change more closely now, or do you think it’s mostly just luck? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.
Also read: This coin could make you 80 times richer—you might be sitting on a fortune!
