2008 年未注明日期的“Mule”20便士硬币成为稀有硬币

2008年，一批因铸造错误而没有注明日期的英国20便士硬币进入流通，成为收藏家追捧的物品。该错误发生在硬币上的日期位置转换过程中，导致不同面出现新旧格式的混合。大约发行了 250,000 枚未注明日期的硬币，经过激烈的竞标战，最近其中三枚此类硬币在 eBay 上以 151.99 英镑的价格售出。

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

英国造币厂 Error 推出 2008 年稀有“Mule”20 便士硬币

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.

一次偶然的发现，一批 2008 年铸造的英国 20 便士硬币因铸造过程中的疏忽而成为备受追捧的收藏品。由于生产错误，这些硬币的发行没有注明日期，这标志着三个多世纪以来英国硬币首次在没有这一基本特征的情况下流通。

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.

这些错误的硬币在钱币学中被称为“骡子”硬币，其起源可以追溯到当年铸造过程的变化。 2008 年 11 月之前，发行日期刻在 20 便士硬币的背面。然而，皇家造币厂决定将日期迁至女王肖像附近的区域。

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.

过渡期间的疏忽导致女王一侧使用旧格式，而背面使用新格式。因此，第一批没有注明日期的英国硬币无意中投入流通，数量估计为 250,000 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.

这些无日期硬币的稀有性引起了收藏家的强烈兴趣，在 eBay 上引发了激烈的竞购战。在最近的一次拍卖中，三枚这样的硬币获得了 151.99 英镑的高价，吸引了 34 人出价。

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.

骡子 20 便士的魅力超出了其历史意义。据估计，2008 年 11 月约有 25 万枚此类硬币进入流通，这使得它成为一个相对难以找到的发现。

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.

皇家造币厂因生产英国境内流通的一些最稀有和最有价值的硬币而享有盛誉。其中最受好评的是英国皇家植物园 50 便士，它于 2009 年发行，以纪念著名植物园成立 250 周年。这枚硬币仅铸造了 210,000 枚，平均市场价值为 156.25 英镑，尽管一枚样本在 eBay 上的售价高达 700 英镑。

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.

其他稀有的英国硬币主要来自 2011 年奥运会，其中摔跤、足球和柔道纪念币的估值特别高。这些设计的产量均仅为 110 万枚。

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.

碧翠丝·波特 (Beatrix Potter) 心爱的角色弗洛普西兔 (Flopsy Bunny) 和彼得兔 (Peter Rabbit) 也为 2018 年铸造的一系列高价值硬币增光添彩。这些硬币描绘了这位著名作家经典故事中的场景，发行量为 140 万枚，平均售价为 5 英镑。

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，皇家造币厂推出了三款新的 50便士设计，包括向阿瑟·柯南·道尔笔下的标志性侦探福尔摩斯、帕丁顿熊在圣保罗大教堂的冒险以及历史悠久的伦敦塔致敬。那一年总共铸造了 5 亿枚硬币，巩固了皇家造币厂创造珍贵钱币珍品的传统。