Elizabeth II dateless Twenty Pence

Elizabeth II (1952-), currency Twenty Pence, undated in error, undated obverse die muled with the new undated reverse for 2008, struck on a heptagonal flan, crowned head right by Ian Rank Broadley, IRB initials beneath, raised border surrounding with incuse legend commencing at left side in two lines, ELIZABETH II / D. G. REG. F. D, rev. struck en medaille, lower right side of Heraldic Arms of United Kingdom, raised on field and incuse on raised rim, initials MD in shield border on raised rim for designer Matthew Dent, denominational value incuse on right side of raised rim, TWENTY PENCE, weight 5.05g (S.G4A). With the usual raised die flaws seen on this error mule, otherwise good extremely fine.

These undated "mules" were discovered in change not long after the new "jigsaw puzzle" reverses designed by Matthew Dent were introduced across the British coinage for 2008. It would seem a defunct obverse die usually mated with earlier dated reverses was used in error. The die used for the obverse was seemingly beyond its useful life as all examples from currency carry the same raised die flaws on the obverse with various pimples across the Queen's head. The Royal Mint at the time would only admit that one "batch" on one day of striking could have had the wrong obverse which could have meant anywhere from 8,000 to 100,000 coins may have carried the incorrect dateless obverse. This is still a small percentage, at less than 1% of the total of 11,900,000 Twenty Pence coins minted for 2008.