A silver version of the usually copper British two pence coin sold for £1,350 ($1,915), 67,500 times its face value at auction on Wednesday. The Westminster Collection, a company that specialises in collectable coins and stamps, bought the unique piece.
The coin was nearly thrown in the bin when it was discovered last year in a collecting tin of the Poppy Appeal, a charity that supports British war veterans. Charles Vernon, a branch treasurer for the Royal British Legion in Wiltshire, south west England, said he and his wife found the coin when counting the money donated to the charity.
The pair decided that before discarding the coin, they would take it to a local bank to check whether it was produced in error. The Royal Mint, which manufactures British coins, confirmed it was, in a rare scenario. Two pence coins are normally made of copper-plated steel, whereas this one was accidentally set in nickel-plated steel, traditionally used for 10 pence coins, BBC News reported.
Last year, another silver 2p coin dating back to 1971 was auctioned on eBay for £800 by Reading hospital.
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