2008 年未註明日期的「Mule」20便士硬幣成為稀有硬幣

2008年，一批因鑄造錯誤而沒有註明日期的英國20便士硬幣進入流通，成為收藏家追捧的物品。該錯誤發生在硬幣上的日期位置轉換過程中，導致不同面出現新舊格式的混合。大約發行了 25 萬枚未註明日期的硬幣，經過激烈的競標戰，最近其中三枚此類硬幣在 eBay 上以 151.99 英鎊的價格售出。

British Mint Error Unveils Rare "Mule" 20p Coins from 2008

英國造幣廠 Error 推出 2008 年稀有「Mule」20 便士硬幣

In a serendipitous discovery, a batch of British 20p coins minted in 2008 has emerged as a highly sought-after collector's item, owing to an inadvertent omission during the minting process. Due to a production error, these coins were released without a date, marking the first time in over three centuries that British coins have circulated without this essential feature.

一次偶然的發現，一批 2008 年鑄造的英國 20 便士硬幣因鑄造過程中的疏忽而成為備受追捧的收藏品。由於生產錯誤，這些硬幣的發行沒有註明日期，這標誌著三個多世紀以來英國硬幣首次在沒有這一基本特徵的情況下流通。

The erroneous coins, dubbed "mule" pieces in numismatic parlance, trace their origin to a change in the minting process implemented that year. Prior to November 2008, the date of issue was inscribed on the reverse side of the 20p coin. However, the Royal Mint decided to relocate the date to an area adjacent to the Queen's effigy.

這些錯誤的硬幣在錢幣學中被稱為「騾子」硬幣，其起源可以追溯到當年鑄造過程的變化。 2008 年 11 月之前，發行日期刻在 20 便士硬幣的背面。然而，皇家造幣廠決定將日期遷至女王肖像附近的區域。

An oversight during this transition resulted in the use of the old format on the Queen's side and the new format on the reverse side. Consequently, the initial batch of British coins bearing no date was inadvertently released into circulation, numbering an estimated 250,000 pieces.

過渡期間的疏忽導致女王一側使用舊格式，而背面則使用新格式。因此，第一批沒有註明日期的英國硬幣無意中投入流通，數量估計為 25 萬枚。

The rarity of these dateless coins has sparked intense interest among collectors, leading to a fierce bidding war on eBay. In a recent auction, a lot of three such coins garnered an impressive £151.99, attracting 34 bids in the process.

這些無日期硬幣的稀有性引起了收藏家的強烈興趣，在 eBay 上引發了激烈的競購戰。在最近的拍賣中，三枚這樣的硬幣獲得了 151.99 英鎊的高價，吸引了 34 人出價。

The allure of the mule 20p piece extends beyond its historical significance. It is estimated that around 250,000 of these coins entered circulation in November 2008, making it a relatively elusive find.

騾子 20 便士的魅力超出了其歷史意義。據估計，2008 年 11 月約有 25 萬枚此類硬幣進入流通，這使得它成為一個相對難以找到的發現。

The Royal Mint has a storied reputation for producing some of the rarest and most valuable coins in circulation within the United Kingdom. Among the most highly prized are the Kew Gardens 50p, issued in 2009 to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the famed botanical gardens. With only 210,000 pieces minted, this coin commands an average market value of £156.25, although one specimen sold for a staggering £700 on eBay.

皇家造幣廠因生產英國境內流通的一些最稀有和最有價值的硬幣而享有盛譽。其中最受好評的是英國皇家植物園 50 便士，它於 2009 年發行，以紀念著名植物園成立 250 週年。這枚硬幣僅鑄造了 210,000 枚，平均市場價值為 156.25 英鎊，儘管一枚樣本在 eBay 上的售價高達 700 英鎊。

Other rare British coins stem primarily from the 2011 Olympic Games, with the wrestling, football, and judo commemorative coins commanding particularly high valuations. Each of these designs saw a mintage of just 1.1 million pieces.

其他稀有的英國硬幣主要來自 2011 年奧運會，其中摔跤、足球和柔道紀念幣的估值特別高。這些設計的產量均僅 110 萬枚。

Beatrix Potter's beloved characters, Flopsy Bunny and Peter Rabbit, also grace a series of highly valuable coins minted in 2018. Depicting scenes from the renowned author's classic tales, these coins, with a mintage of 1.4 million, fetch an average price of £5.

碧翠絲·波特(Beatrix Potter) 心愛的角色弗洛普西兔(Flopsy Bunny) 和彼得兔(Peter Rabbit) 也為2018 年鑄造的一系列高價值硬幣增光添彩。這些硬幣描繪了這位著名作家經典故事中的場景，發行量為140 萬枚，平均售價為5 英鎊。

In 2019, the Royal Mint introduced three new 50p designs, including homages to Arthur Conan Doyle's iconic detective Sherlock Holmes, Paddington Bear's adventures at St. Paul's Cathedral, and the historic Tower of London. A total of 500 million coins were struck that year, cementing the Royal Mint's tradition of creating cherished numismatic treasures.

2019 年，皇家造幣廠推出了三款新的50便士設計，包括向阿瑟·柯南·道爾筆下的標誌性偵探福爾摩斯、帕丁頓熊在聖保羅大教堂的冒險以及歷史悠久的倫敦塔致敬。那一年總共鑄造了 5 億枚硬幣，鞏固了皇家造幣廠創造珍貴錢幣珍品的傳統。