Check your wallets now: This error in a humble 5c coin may fetch you $70!
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It's the little things in life that can bring the most joy.
Sometimes, they bring in a little extra cash!
For our eagle-eyed members, there could be fortune hiding in your coin jars, pockets, or wallets.
The often-overlooked 5c coin could be worth up to a staggering $70 thanks to a quirky defect.
According to coin collector and expert Michael McCauley, this defect is called the 'flamingo error'.
Mr McCauley brought this flaw to the public's attention.
He noted that some 5c coins minted in 2001 are worth more due to this unique minting mistake.
The 'flamingo error' is characterised by a small, additional piece of metal found on the tail end of the number 5 on the coin.
When viewed in the right light, this could resemble a flamingo's beak—hence the name.
It's a subtle manufacturing error, but to collectors, it's a delightful find that adds value to an ordinary coin.
McCauley mentioned on a social media post that these coins have recently been sold between $37.80 and $70.
While the 2001 coins were the ones commonly found with this error, the 'flamingo error' has also been spotted on 5c coins minted in 2002, 2003, and 2005.
However, these iterations of the coins were rarer and could fetch higher prices.
Around 174.6 million 5c coins were minted in 2001, but an unknown number of coins had the 'flamingo error'.
The Royal Australian Mint has not yet commented on the 'flamingo error'.
This isn't the first time an ordinary coin turned out to be a collector's item.
Last May, an NSW man sold a 5c coin for a whopping $2,000.
The coin had the late Queen Elizabeth II's effigy on both sides.
The images were rotated 180 degrees from each other—different from the standard design where the pictures on each face are aligned the same way up.
Watch Mr McCauley's explanation video about the 'flamingo error' here:
Source: @coincollecting_detecting/TikTok
It's time to put on your reading glasses and start examining your coins.
Who knows? You might have one of these rare 'flamingo error' coins in your possession.
If you do find one, you could either keep it as a charming conversation piece or sell it to a collector for a tidy sum.
Have any of you found rare coins among your change before? We'd love to hear your stories! Share them with us in the comments section below!
Sometimes, they bring in a little extra cash!
For our eagle-eyed members, there could be fortune hiding in your coin jars, pockets, or wallets.
The often-overlooked 5c coin could be worth up to a staggering $70 thanks to a quirky defect.
According to coin collector and expert Michael McCauley, this defect is called the 'flamingo error'.
Mr McCauley brought this flaw to the public's attention.
Mr McCauley pointed out the subtle 'flamingo error' found in certain 5c coins. Image Credit: TikTok/Coin Collecting Detecting
He noted that some 5c coins minted in 2001 are worth more due to this unique minting mistake.
The 'flamingo error' is characterised by a small, additional piece of metal found on the tail end of the number 5 on the coin.
When viewed in the right light, this could resemble a flamingo's beak—hence the name.
It's a subtle manufacturing error, but to collectors, it's a delightful find that adds value to an ordinary coin.
McCauley mentioned on a social media post that these coins have recently been sold between $37.80 and $70.
While the 2001 coins were the ones commonly found with this error, the 'flamingo error' has also been spotted on 5c coins minted in 2002, 2003, and 2005.
However, these iterations of the coins were rarer and could fetch higher prices.
Around 174.6 million 5c coins were minted in 2001, but an unknown number of coins had the 'flamingo error'.
The Royal Australian Mint has not yet commented on the 'flamingo error'.
This isn't the first time an ordinary coin turned out to be a collector's item.
Last May, an NSW man sold a 5c coin for a whopping $2,000.
The coin had the late Queen Elizabeth II's effigy on both sides.
The images were rotated 180 degrees from each other—different from the standard design where the pictures on each face are aligned the same way up.
Watch Mr McCauley's explanation video about the 'flamingo error' here:
Source: @coincollecting_detecting/TikTok
It's time to put on your reading glasses and start examining your coins.
Who knows? You might have one of these rare 'flamingo error' coins in your possession.
If you do find one, you could either keep it as a charming conversation piece or sell it to a collector for a tidy sum.
