The Rarest UK 1p Coins REVEALED!

When we think about rare coins, our minds usually jump straight to 50ps or £2 coins, and for good reason! But there’s another denomination that generally flies under the radar in the world of coin collecting… and that’s the humble 1p.

The 1p coin has been a part of our everyday coinage since decimalisation in 1971. But, with billions struck over the years, it’s easy to assume they’re all common. Whilst for the most part that’s true, certain years, designs and minting quirks have created a small handful of standout rarities that you should be aware of.

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1971 First Decimal 1p

While not rare in the usual sense, the 1971 1p was the very first of its kind. With over 1.5 billion struck, you’ll find them in most piggy banks, but there’s something nostalgic and iconic about the very first decimal penny.

That said, if you find one in immaculate condition or a proof one from a 1971 set, collectors may pay a premium for it.

1982 First ‘One Penny’ 1p

In 1982, the design of the UK 1p changed so that the reverse inscription read ‘ONE PENNY’ instead of ‘NEW PENNY’. Just 100,292,000 ‘One Penny’ coins entered circulation in 1982, and as the first year with this design, many consider it a desirable coin to have in their collection.

2008 Royal Arms 1p

In 2008, the UK coinage underwent a major redesign. The 1p’s reverse changed from the traditional portcullis design to a segment of the Royal Arms. Matthew Dent redesigned all of our key definitive coins so that, when placed together, form the Royal Shield of Arms.

Coins from this transitional period can be interesting for collectors, especially 2008 dated 1p coins with the old reverse design of a Portcullis. Just 180,600,000 of this design entered circulation in 2008, and it’s the last time we saw the portcullis design feature on the UK 1p coins.

2023 King Charles III Dormouse 1p

According to The Royal Mint’s 2023 mintage figures, there are allegedly 600,000 2023 King Charles III Dormouse 1p coins currently in circulation. The Dormouse 1p was first introduced as part of the New UK Coinage set for King Charles III in 2023, where we saw eight new definitive coin designs featuring His Majesty on the obverse.

Despite the mintage figure announcement, no collectors have reported finding a King Charles III 1p in their change yet. It could be that the figure was inaccurate, or perhaps these coins have been hiding in plain sight as people aren’t thinking to check their coppers!

Have you found a Dormouse 1p yet? Let us know in the comments!

1933 George V Penny

The 1933 George V Penny is one of the rarest and most sought-after coins in British numismatic history, as very few were produced in 1933, mainly for ceremonial use. Only seven are known to exist, with examples held by the Royal Mint Museum, British Museum, private collectors, and some buried under building foundations. One placed at the Church of St Cross in Leeds was stolen in 1970, while another at St Mary’s Church was later retrieved and sold. The coin beneath the University of London’s Senate House is believed to remain in place.

Despite having a face value of just 1p, this elusive coin has fetched staggering prices at auction. In 2016, an example sold for an incredible £72,000! Although it’s almost impossible to find one of these pennies in your change, that stolen one could still be floating around!

2018 and 2019 NIFC 1p coins

In both 2018 and 2019, no 1p coins were struck for circulation, and were only produced for definitive Annual Coin Sets. So if you happen to come across a 2018 or 2019 dated 1p in your change, it will have been broken out of a set and spent.

NIFC (not intended for circulation) coins can be highly sought after by collectors, as they will have only been produced in either Brilliant Uncirculated or Proof quality, a much higher condition than circulation coins!

Die errors and off-centre strikes

While not tied to a specific year, mis-struck 1p coins occasionally turn up in our change. These can include off-centre strikes, clipped planchets, double strikes and die rotation errors.

If you think you’ve found a 1p that doesn’t look quite right, it’s worth having it checked by The Royal Mint to verify if it’s a genuine error.

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So how much could my penny be worth?

The 1p coin is often overlooked, but your penny jar might be hiding a coin rarer than you think. If you think you’ve found a rare 1p coin, we recommend checking out our 6 Point Guide to Valuing Your Coins and looking at sold listing on eBay to work out how much it could be worth.

So perhaps next time you find some small change, you’ll take a closer look and find a hidden gem!

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Kick start your Penny collection

Whether you’ve got a penny collection already or you’re just starting out, you can piece together a fascinating timeline showing the changing face of Her Majesty with the Queen Elizabeth II Portraits Penny Collecting Page.