Queen Elizabeth II sadly passed away at Balmoral Castle on September 8, 2022 at the age of 96.
Her Majesty The Queen began her reign in 1952, making her Britain's longest reigning monarch and the longest sovereign to feature on British currency.
Many will only ever remember the Queen as the face on our coins and bank notes, but this will soon change as King Charles III has ascended the throne following his mother's death.
The most recent image of Queen Elizabeth II on coins is her fifth portrait which was designed by Jody Clark and British notes bare a similar image of the Queen which has been in place since the 90s.
As the nation mourns Her Majesty, currency baring her image will soon be discontinued and phased out, with some coins set to make Brits a fortune in later years due to their rarity.
But which Queen Elizabeth II coins are the most rare and valuable? We spoke to Jon White, the director of leading coin sellers Britannia Coin Company, who is a coin expert.
Which coins are the most rare and valuable?
According to Mr White, the rarest and most valuable coin of Queen Elizabeth II is the 2009 Kew Gardens 50p coin which currently has a value of £170.
The coin expert said: “One of the rarest coins featuring the portrait of the late Queen Elizabeth II is the Kew Gardens 50p coin, released in 2009.
This coin was released to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the gardens and only 210,000 were put into circulation.
"This coin could easily be confused with the 2019 version of the design, so it’s important to check the date on yours if you happen to find one in your purse."
The second most valuable Queen Elizabeth II coin is the rare mule gold proof Double Sovereign £2 coin, struck with the wrong obverse.
The 22 gold carat coin was released in 1994 and it celebrates 300 years of the Bank of England with a special reverse inspired by the original Britannia seal of the UK’s central bank.
According to Mr White, this rare find has a current value of £5,000 as the "1,000 offered in this limited edition, individually boxed presentation were struck with an obverse missing the the denomination."
Finally, the third most valuable coin showing the late Queen's portrait is the commemorative Edinburgh £1 coin, which was minted in 2011.
Mr White added: "Less than one million coins with this design are available, and it’s already selling for over 30 times its original value."
How much will these rare and valuable coins be worth in 10 years time?
Most coins tend to increase in value as time passes, and some of these rare finds could be worth a lot of money in 10 years time.
The Kew Gardens coin could be worth at least £230 in the next decade due to its rarity.
Mr White said: "While already valuable, the value will only continue to increase in the years to come as currency featuring Queen Elizabeth II’s portrait is phased out.
"I’d expect its value to reach at least £230 in the next decade, a 35% increase on what it’s currently worth (£170)".
The mule gold proof Double Sovereign £2 coin may currently be worth a whopping £5,000 but in 10 years time its value could double, making owners £10,000, according to the coin expert.
Finally, if you are one of the lucky owners of the commemorative Edinburgh £1 coin, you could bag yourself some cash for the rare find.
Mr White explained: "The coins are already out of circulation due to the change in shape of £1 pieces, but given that they also feature Queen Elizabeth II’s portrait they could be worth at least £65 in 10 years’ time."
When will Queen Elizabeth II coins be phased out?
The phasing out process of the coins baring the Queen's portrait is set to begin soon following her death on September 8.
The Bank of England confirmed in a statement that the current coins and notes will remain legal tender for now but plans for the transition to King Charles III's image will be announced following the nation's mourning period.
Mr White added: "It’s sad to think that UK coins with Queen Elizabeth’s portrait will be gradually phased out; but given that there are approximately 29 billion coins in circulation this is likely to be a slow process.
"It is likely that the coins which are already rare will become even more sought after in the years to come, as well as those issued in the first and final years of Her Majesty’s reign. The more common coins won’t become rare for many years, so you have plenty of time to collect some as a momento.”
