Minting errors, when the coin is worth a treasure

That one-euro coin at the bottom of your purse could turn out to be a treasure.

The bizarre rules of numismatics, in fact, attribute an astronomical value to all those coins that contain the so-called "minting error", or a small detail that makes them rare and - on the most fortunate occasions - even unique.

On e-bay, for example, there is a one-euro specimen sold for the insane sum of 99 thousand euros.
A meaningless quotation? Far from it. The price is modulated according to the price lists of collectors who, as mentioned, reward first of all the uniqueness of the pieces.

In particular, what makes this one-euro coin extraordinarily valuable is a mistake that the State Mint has let pass without realizing it. In the crown of the coin, in fact, one of the twelve stars of European symbolism is missing. It is difficult to understand why the error was not noticed, but so much so that the coin - despite the resounding mistake - ended up in circulation. And today, precisely because of its crazy history, it is worth an authentic heritage.

In fact, collectors argue, there are several coins with singular minting errors in circulation; the problem is that almost no one notices it and these unsuspected treasures pass from hand to hand without being identified. After all, to find them, it would take a magnifying glass and a lot, a lot of patience.

The only certainty is that these errors, however rare, are not unique. No one knows where they are, but what is certain is that you too, in your purse, could have a treasure without knowing it.