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eBay: Rare 1p coin selling for £450 – do YOU have valuable penny in your change?

The 1p is described as being in “pretty mint condition” by the seller.

Collectors are :snapping these up”, the seller explains, so they are getting increasingly scarce. The seller is selling six in one lot.

So what is so special about this particular 1p coin?

It is because it is dated 1971 – a key date in the history of British currency.

What makes them special is the fact they were the first pennies to be introduced to the UK after decimalisation.

This was when the UK switched from using old currency to the system we use today.

Pennies used to be divided into four farthings, including a farthing – a quarter of a penny – and a ha’penny, which was half a penny.

Other coins from the pre-1971 system include sovereigns, shillings, guineas and crowns.

But as the value of the coin grew, Britain decided to use pounds divided into 100 pennies rather than the pre-decimal system.

1p coins with “New Penny” embossed on the side were then introduced – and these coins are now worth a fortune.

These coins also feature the second portrait of the Queen to appear on a coin, and she is wearing the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara.

It is unknown how many of these pennies are still in circulation, however as of March 31, 2014 there were an estimated 11,278 million 1p coins in circulation, making this piece hard to track down.

1971 pennies can be worth hundreds, but to really cash in, you have to find an old penny from the pre-1971 system.

One of the most expensive ever sold was a penny from 1933, which fetched a whopping £72,000.

This is because only seven pennies were made with this date, making it very rare.

If 50p coins are more of interest, there is one “very rare” fifty pence selling for £3,5000 on eBay at the moment.

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