It's time to dig down the back of the sofa after a pair of rare £2 Charles Dickens coins sold for a WHOPPING £3,500.

The staggering bid for the coins was made on eBay on Tuesday, August 14.

Now Coventry and Warwickshire folk are being encouraged to check their wallets and purses in a bid to find one and cash in.

The special £2 coin was released in 2012 to celebrate the great writer's 200th anniversary and features the titles of Dickens’ famous works.

User climbing_uk sold the coins, reports the Bristol Post .

The eBay listing said: "In 2012, the Royal Mint issued a £2 coin to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Charles, one of Britain’s finest writers, with a unique £2 coin that incorporates the titles of Dickens’ famous works on its highly inventive reverse."

It goes on to say the edging of the coin has the words 'something will turn up'.

'Quite common'

This coin in particular has at least two minting errors, making it even more valuable to coin collectors.

The listing said the dots around Queen Elizabeth's head disappear half way around, and the milled wording around the coin is upside down.

Charles Dickens is known as one of the greatest writers of the Victorian era, but despite the high-selling price of this coin the Charles Dickens £2 coin is actually quite common, according to www.checkyourchange.co.uk

With a mintage for circulation of 8,190,00, it has the lowest rating of 'one' for collectability and scarcity.

However, the minting errors described and the fact the listing contained two of these coins could have increased their appeal.

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