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Video: Lloyd could coin it in with a rare 20p find
A CITY man has been celebrating after discovering a coin he hopes will make him a mint in his change while enjoying a pint in his local pub.
A CITY man has been celebrating after discovering a coin he hopes will make him a mint in his change while enjoying a pint in his local pub.Lloyd Heffernan (38), of Sugar Way, Woodston, Peterborough, was enjoying a summer drink with his friends at The Botolph Arms pub in Oundle Road, Orton Longueville, Peterborough, on Wednesday evening, when he was given an ordinary looking 20p in his change.
But on closer inspection, Mr Heffernan realised that the 20p piece did not have a date embossed on the coin, and was one of a batch mistakenly released by the Royal Mint earlier this year.
The coins were mistakenly minted in Cardiff with a new picture on the tails side – where the date used to be – and an old design on the head's side, where the date is placed on the new designs.
The error means that the coins are the first in 300 years to enter circulation without a date.
The 20p coins – which are still legal tender – have caused a frenzy in the coin collecting world, and a number have already appeared on internet auction site eBay, with one selling for an incredible 7,100 – 35,000 times more than the coin's value.
Today, Lloyd said he had been amazed to discover the lucky coin in his change.
He said: "I had heard about the rare 20 pence pieces on the news that day, and was talking with my mates about how brilliant it would be to find one.
"When I was given my change I thought I would have a look to see if I had one, not expecting to find it.
"I couldn't believe my eyes when I realised what was in my change."
Mr Heffernan said he was still unsure what he would do with his find – but had already had plenty of offers for the coin.
He said: "Since I found it I have not let it out of my sight.
"I have heard about the coins being sold for a lot of money, but I'm not sure whether I want to sell it or not yet.
"I have had offers from friends and colleagues for up to 500, but won't be selling it yet."
A spokeswoman for the Botolph Arms said: "Nothing like this has happened before in the pub.
"I don't know if it will make him a fortune or not, but good luck to him."
It is thought that up to 200,000 of the coins have entered circulation – but the odds of finding one are still small. More than 3,218,000,000 20p coins having been minted since they were first struck in 1982.
A spokesman for the Royal Mint said mistakes like the one which lead to the production of the coin were very rare.
He said: "Last year there was an unusual lapse in quality control at the Royal Mint.
"A batch of 20p coins were issued with mis-matched sides. The result is a number of 20p coins have entered circulation without a date."
The money 'mule'
Coins with mismatched sides are known as mules – a reference to the mule being a mismatch of a horse and donkey.
All British legal tender coins have carried the date of issue since 1662.
Two other coins with errors have been produced since decimalisation in 1971, but they did not enter circulation.
In 1983, some 2p coins were struck with a die that used the old terminology New Pence instead of Two Pence.
And in 1994 a gold 2 commemorative coin was issued with the wrong legend on the Queen's portrait side.
The last time an undated British coin entered circulation was in 1672, during the reign of Charles II.
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Sunday 12 February 2012
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