THE 2009 TEN PENCE MULE ERROR

 

I'm curious to learn more about an extremely rare 2009 Great Britain currency 10 pence. Evidently there are only 2 or three known pieces making it arguably the rarest decimal coin struck. It was sold in the Noonan's Auction of 7-8 June, 2023 as Lot #508 and fetched 1300 pounds plus the commission.

As a collector of British coins (mainly late predecimal milled copper and silver) I found this coin interesting and could find precious little about it except for an additional specimen sold by London Coins in 2015. I don't believe it has been formally published.

I wrote to the Royal Mint and sent them what information I had. I cannot confirm but one of these coins was alleged to have come from a 2008 Celebration Specimen set of some kind, perhaps for a child's birthday. The Obverse with QE II is a standard for 2009 rendition but the reverse is of the lion that was phased out after 2007 with the transition year of 2008 having both this older type and the newer lion on shield (Km 889 is the older type in Krause and not listed for 2009 and Km 1110 is what I recall is the Krause number for the newer type).

The London coins specimen from 2015 is one coin and another reported with no other information; the Noonan's coin may be this coin or it may represent a third specimen. That is the sum of all that I know.

To read the complete lot descriptions, see:
Decimal Ten Pence 2009 mule with the earlier (2008 and before) crowned lion reverse (https://www.londoncoins.co.uk/?page=Pastresults&auc=150&searchlot=2020&searchtype=2)
Elizabeth II (1952-2022), Decimal issues, Mule Ten Pence, 2009 (https://www.noonans.co.uk/auctions/archive/lot-archive/results/454191/)

	NBS (coinbooks.org) Web