A commemorative coin issued by the Royal Mint to celebrate the 1981 wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana is currently listed for an astonishing £10,000 online. Despite this high asking price, a respected coin collector has raised doubts about the authenticity of the valuation.
The coin, produced in 1981, was created to mark the historic marriage of the then-Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer. It is a large 25p piece, notable for being the first British coin to feature three individuals, with the reverse design showing joined silhouettes of Charles and Diana. However, unlike standard coins, it does not bear a face value engraving.
@CoinCollectingWizard, a prominent collector with over 36,000 followers on Instagram, expressed disbelief at the coin’s £10,000 listing. Writing to his audience, he explained the reasons why such a value is unlikely.
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“The 1981 Charles and Diana wedding coin was produced in massive quantities—literally millions of pieces,” he stated. “This means many households likely have one tucked away in drawers. It’s a commemorative crown coin, larger than a modern 50p but officially worth just 25p.”
The coin is made from a cupro-nickel alloy consisting of 75% copper and 25% nickel, which means the metal value itself is only worth a few pennies. While some were sold in special presentation cases such as blue boxes or red wallets, these packaging options are not rare enough to increase the coin’s value dramatically.
He cautioned that none of these coins are truly worth £10,000 unless they contain errors, which would need to be rigorously verified. The collector also advised potential buyers to scrutinize sold listings on platforms like eBay rather than just the asking prices to get a realistic sense of the coin’s market value.
Before the introduction of £5 coins, the Royal Mint used crown coins to commemorate significant royal and national milestones. The 1981 Charles and Diana coin is one of only four decimal crown coins ever issued by the Mint. Released to celebrate the royal wedding on July 29, 1981, the coin captures a moment when Diana Spencer, aged 20, became the Princess of Wales at St Paul’s Cathedral in London.