Coin collectors are hunting down one of Australia’s rarest coins after a mistake at the mint factory created a rare $1 piece.
While the mistake was made back in 2000, it’s a glitch that has mainly only been known to coin collectors until now.
The Australian Coin Collectors Blog said the worker mixed up the mould for the $1 and 10c pieces, creating a gold $1 piece that is thicker than usual with a double rim on the Queen’s side of the coin.
“The mule was made when a technician at the Mint in Canberra accidentally paired the mob of ‘roos dollar reverse with the Queen’s head obverse, normally used for the 10 cent piece,” the blog reported.
The rare coins are selling on eBay for $980 to $8,500, with the final auction prices often going for $400 to $2,742.
“The value of your rare coin will now depend on the condition after spending 17 years in circulation some coins are more valuable than others,” the blog said.
Anyone who is lucky enough to stumble across one of the coins could be sitting on a lot more than a $1.