Two-pence coin with 'major error' sells for £700 in Wiltshire

At first glance, it can be hard to spot what is wrong with the 1983 2p coin which went under the hammer at RWB Auctions just outside of Swindon.

A two-pence coin with an error in its wording sold for £700 at an auction in Wiltshire.

The 1983 2p coin went under the hammer at RWB Auctions just outside of Swindon.

At first glance, it may be difficult to spot what is wrong with the coin.

However, the coin has attracted the attention of collectors around the world due to its unusual wording.

An error from the UK's Royal Mint resulted in the 2p coin reading 'new pence' instead of 'two pence.'

According to collectors, this subtle error was most likely caused by the use of an old die to strike the coin, and very few of these coins are known to exist.

The 2p coin was sold for £700 at RWB Auctions on September 25, which is 35,000 times its original market value.

Children born in the 80s are being urged to check their coins (Image: RWB Auctions)

The handful of these coins can be found in sets that were produced in collaboration between The Royal Mint and Italian drinks company Martini & Rossi as part of a promotional giveaway labeled 'The Great British 1983 Coin Collection' on the cover.

Although thousands of the sets were released, only a small number feature the rare 2p coin.

“It is worth checking old coin collections for this set, particularly if you were born in 1983," said Jon White, of RWB Auctions.

"Someone may have bought you one as a baby or as a Christening present. If they happened to get hold of a rare one, then you have a very valuable gift on your hands.”

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