Thousands of pounds worth of merchandise commemorating the upcoming Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations have been rendered almost worthless after a printing error that would be right at home in an Only Fools and Horses episode.
Plates, mugs, cups and saucers have all fallen victim to the same error - which reads 'To Commemorate the Platinum Jubbly of Queen Elizabeth II.'
The mistake by Chinese firm Changzhouint Merchandise features The Queen smiling, surrounded by the royal coat of arms and 1952 - the date of her accession. Intended to mark the monarch's Diamond Jubilee, the mistake was spotted straightaway, triggering the deal to fall through - even if the merchandise was lovely jubbly.
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However, all may not be lost, with UK company Wholesale Clearance stepping in and attempting to market the flawed crockery as limited edition collectable items, hoping to appeal to the unique British sense of humours, as well as fans of the popular David Jason sitcom.
Karl Baxter, Managing Director of the Poole based company, has offered anyone willing to take a punt on the 'lost in translation' error a 90% discount, with £10,800 pieces available for £32,400 - on stock which would cost £323,892 had there been no mistake.
The website states: “You will notice this is probably more at home on the shelf next to Peckham Spring as these are in fact celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubbly! These are, as you say, the Creme de la Menthe! So if you are a fan of the Queen and Del Boy... two birds with one stone.
“If you fancy owning a unique piece of Jubilee history or want to follow in Del’s footsteps and get stuck with 10,600 items of Platinum Jubbly stock please use the ‘Buy It ASAP’ button.”
Mr Baxter said: “There’ll be no shortage of royal memorabilia to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee as retailers have long been selling souvenirs on royal occasions.
“In classic Del Boy style, we naturally stepped in to help shift the Platinum ‘Jubbly’ stock.
“Previous royal occasion memorabilia is often sought after by collectors, as it’s a great excuse to go out and buy a piece of history which will increase in value over time.
“Besides, what could be more unique than our limited edition misprinted crockery? This could be your chance to get your hands on a novelty souvenir for a fraction of the price!”
It is not the first time gaffes have been made on royal merchandise - with a picture of Prince Harry on mugs instead of Prince William to mark the 2011 Royal Wedding, and singer Ed Sheeran appearing on plates to celebrate Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's marriage in 2018.
Perhaps if you buy the merchandise and resell it, this time next year you'll be a millionaire...
