A 2008 20p coin missing its date sold on eBay for £44.95, more than 224 times its face value, because of a Royal Mint minting error. The coin, featuring Queen Elizabeth II on the front and the Royal Shield of Arms on the reverse, was listed as a 'highly sought after' item and a 'staple of British error coin collecting'.
What caused the error
According to The Royal Mint, a minting mistake in November 2008 resulted in a number of undated 20p coins entering circulation. The error occurred because the previous obverse ('heads' side) was paired with the new reverse ('tails' side) design, meaning the year of issue did not appear on the coin at all.
The Royal Mint confirmed that fewer than 250,000 of the 136 million 20p pieces minted in 2008-09 were affected. A spokesperson for The Royal Mint said: "In November 2008 a number of 20p coins were incorrectly minted, resulting in the coins being undated. This problem affected less than 250,000 coins of the 136million 20p pieces minted in 2008-09."
"This was due to the previous obverse (the 'heads' side) being used with the new reverse (the 'tails' side) design, meaning the year of issue did not feature at all. These coins remain legal tender and still have a face value of 20p."
The eBay listing and sale
The eBay listing described the coin as a genuine Royal Mint undated 20p error coin found in circulation. It noted: "Shows normal wear consistent with age and use, but all details remain clear. No cleaning or tampering - exactly as discovered. This is the famous Royal Mint 'mule error' where the obverse and reverse dies don't match, resulting in a 20p coin having no date anywhere on the coin."
"Only a small number escaped into circulation, making them highly collectable and sought after by error coin collectors. These coins were accidentally released in 2008 and have since become a staple of British error coin collecting."
A collector paid £44.95 for the 20p piece on September 10, prompting Brits to check their change for the same error.
History of the 20p coin
First issued in 1982, the 20p is one of the UK's newest circulating denominations. In 1998, the coin was updated to feature Maklouf's portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, while the reverse depicted a crowned Tudor double rose designed by William Gardner.
In 2022, Ian Rank-Broadley's portrait of the Queen was replaced by Jody Clark's design. Gardner's reverse design featured on the 20p until 2008, when it was replaced by the definitive 'shield' design that currently appears on UK coins up to the value of 50p. When arranged in the correct order, the 50p, 20p, 10p, 5p, 2p and 1p coins make up the Royal Arms in its entirety.
