A LEOMINSTER coin collector was left anything but short-changed when he discovered his newest additions contained a spelling error.

Nigel Lines, who is 51, has built up quite a collection over the last 20 years.

But his latest order of three 1813 gold plated guinea replica coins, costing £30 each from the Westminster Collection, all contained a mistake which could make them worth a much more substantial sum.

Mr Lines said: “I noticed a couple of weeks ago there was a spelling mistake on the coins.

"Instead of reading ‘fidei defensor’ it actually read ‘eidei defensor’.”

That, Mr Lines believes, means that the coins could be part of a limited collection and he has put them for sale on eBay with a guide price of £3,000.

Westminster Collection has advised customers to send the coins back to be either re-minted or destroyed.

Lee Parker, at Westminster Collection, said the value will probably depend on how many are returned.

“A lot are coming back to be either re-minted or destroyed,” he added.

“It’s obviously up to the customers as to whether they think it will be worth holding on to them.”