Are you a rare coin collector?

Those who get a lot of thrill from collecting rare coins have been warned they could be scammed on eBay.

It is believed sellers have been trying to sell fake Kew Gardens 50p coins, which is the rarest in circulation.

Usually a genuine Kew Gardens coin can flog for around £400 online – more than 800 times its face value.

So if they're popular among coin collectors, how can you really tell if one of them is fake?

Coin expert Jon White of the Britannia Coin Company explained how many replicas find themselves on auction sites.

First the fake coins are purchased on Chinese websites with some selling for as little as 48p, reports The Sun.

Jon said: "Fakes and copies have always been a big issue.

"Most fakes can be easily identified with a keen eye, providing the viewer has knowledge of what they're looking for.

"Unfortunately, casual buyers and novice collectors are the ones most likely to be caught out."

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The Kew Gardens coin was released in 2009 which features a pagoda from the famous hotspot in south west London.

According to the Royal Mint, there are only 210,000 of these coins minted and in circulation.

Change checking website Coin Hunter reckons the Kew Gardens 50p coin often sells for an average of £156 on eBay.

There are fortunately many ways in which you can spot a fake.

Firstly, it's important to look out for a frosted design or a very high relief which can often be found on some fakes.

Make sure the roof on top of the Kew Gardens pagoda is "pointy" too, the experts added.

Meanwhile when you turn the coin over to look at the Queen, a lack of detail in her eyes could indicate it's a fake coin.

Coin experts also pointed out extra detailing on Her Majesty's hair that you wouldn't find on a genuine version.

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According to eBay guidelines: "Replica currency that follows our rules can be listed on eBay, but replica coins and counterfeit currency are not allowed."

If you have concerns about a listing you can report it to the online auction site too.

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