The most valuable British coins are rare, unusual and historic pieces that numismatists crave and fight for. 

British coins take in the current United Kingdom, and predecessor states of (and within) England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. 

Full catalogues of British coins include those issued by the Roman rulers of these sometimes wet and always significant islands. 

But the oldest coins are not always the rarest and most valuable. 

Some are much more recent than you might imagine. 

Here are the 5 most valuable British coins. 

1 - 1937 Edward VIII 5-pound pattern - $2,280,000

Edward VIII's portrait is always welcomed by coin collectors.

The value of this coin is an actual auction realisation from a sale at Heritage Auctions in March 2021. 

All collectors know and love Edward VIII, the king who was on the British throne so briefly that he was a walking rarity factory. 

In this case, the actual coin was never issued, but the design was completed. 

Just two examples of this pattern were known to be in private hands before this sale, which could have been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire this piece.

An estimate of $1 million set expectations high, but bidders at the sale were determined to get this piece and drove the price up to well over double that amount. 

2 - 1839 Victoria gold proof pattern 5-pound coin - $1,440,000

This is one of the most famous of all Victorian coins.

The same sale gave us another outstanding proof that demanded attention from big spenders. 

The design is a classic that was so in-demand that the Royal Mint had to keep producing examples long after they were actually needed as design proofs.

A total of 400 were minted. 

Victoria, in her first set of coins, was portrayed as a renaissance heroine. 

This particular example produced spiraling bids because of its condition and quality. 

Auctioneers Heritage wrote: “Each fold of Victoria's gown, down to the lace embroidery, the hairs of the lion's mane, and the ornamentation on Victoria's headband is painstakingly accurate and razor-sharp.”

3 - 1839 Victoria gold proof pattern 5-pound coin - 984,000 Euros ($1.148 million)

The obverse of the coin is very special too.

A desirable coin indeed! 

This example was sold in October 2020 via a Monaco house, who described it as a Fleur de Coin: “The finest known for this mythical coin. This coin is featured on the back cover of the soon to be published encyclopedia of 5 pounds. Perfect. Exceptional, a true gem quality.”   

4 - 1831 William IV 5-pound coin - 984,000 Euros ($1.148 million)

The detail in William Wyon's engraving is extraordinary. 

Making the same amount - 820,000 Euros before buyer’s premiums - this coin is the work of William Wyon, probably the greatest engraver in the history of British coins. 

Wyon’s work appears on coins of George IV, William IV and Victoria. If you’re a serious British coin collector you need to own some of his work. 

This coin is a needle in a haystack though, with only as many as 10 (and perhaps as few as 6) known to exist. 

It was described as having “very high mint brilliance in the field with matte reliefs of a perfect finish,” and as “one of the great rarities of British numismatics”. 

5 - Charles II silver Pattern "Petition" Crown 1663 - $960,000

This coin was something of a job application, though it failed despite Thomas Simon's obvious skills. 

In January 2024 this coin became one of the landmark British coin sales, again at Heritage Auctions. 

The “Petition” records the fact that this coin is a pitch. The engraver, Thomas Simon, was casting his lot against the Dutch Roettier brothers, who had been engaged to engrave Charles II’s coinage. 

Simon, acknowledged as one of the great artists of his age, really gave it his best shot and this extremely rare coin (fewer than 20, seven locked away in museum collections) is a beauty. It has the third highest condition rating of any of the Petition Crowns. 

“This 1663 "Petition" Crown is a true treasure to behold as a masterstroke of numismatic art.” 

That’s what the sellers said, and at least one buyer agreed. 

Buying rare British coins 

All of these sales are very recent. 

The very best coins are making extraordinary sums at the moment, despite - or perhaps because - of a world of economic (and political) instability. 

We have fine, rare British coins for sale. And we’re always expecting more. 

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