A COLLECTION of coins, some close to 300 years old, are estimated to sell for £15,000 when they go under the hammer at auction.

Dorset-based Charterhouse Auctioneers were given a rare collection of coins by a retired carpenter from Cornwall who has decided to give up his hoard ahead of an auction on Thursday, March 10.

The star lot in the collection is a 1740 George II gold two guinea coin. Worth £2 2 shillings in 1740, this was large sum on money at the time and only the very wealthy would have seen such a coin. Today, the two guinea is estimated at £3,000-4,000.

Further coins in the collection are from the reigns of James II to Queen Elizabeth II. There are gold, silver, copper and cupro-nickel coins with denominations including the two guinea, a double sovereign, sovereigns, half sovereigns, crowns, half crowns, double florins, florins, shillings and even pennies.

However, age does not always equal increased value. In the collection is a George V 1934 crown. With less than 950 of these crowns minted, it is one of the rarest crowns produced in the 20th century. It is estimated at between £2,000-3,000.

Overall, the entire collection is estimated to sell for £15,000.

Charterhouse founder Richard Bromell said: “I have had a 50-year interest in coin collecting, first as a young lad and now as a collector, auctioneer and valuer.

“When [the collector] walked into our reception I spied the coin chest and hoped to see some good coins, but what I saw was in fact some really great coins.”

Visit charterhouse-auction.com for more information.