The memorabilia, which is not affiliated with Buckingham Palace, was intended to mark the sovereign’s 70 years on the throne. It was supposed to read: “The Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.”
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Instead, the tea sets, mugs and decorative plates all read “The Platinum Jubbly of Queen Elizabeth II.”
Wholesale Clearance UK, the company that bought the misprinted merch, is trying to offload it at a price of $44,000 for the lot.
Wholesale Clearance UK suggested the lucky buyer could somehow then fetch a potential profit of $395,000 on the aptly named “Queens Platinum Jubilee (Jubbly) Souvenir Stock with Slight Typo Mistake.” If you’re not looking to put down that much money at once, you can purchase an individual plate, cup or mug.
Wholesale CEO Karl Baxter cheekily suggested in the lot’s description that people who buy the products “Take-up plate spinning as a hobby.” Or, they can simply try to wow friends with their “Lovely Jubbly set.”
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“Apart from the obvious gimmick factor,” Baxter said this is a buyer’s chance to own “a unique piece of Jubilee history.”
Baxter told HuffPost on Wednesday that the public’s response to the misprinted memorabilia has been “phenomenal.”
“People have been calling to inquire about the items and a large percentage were saying how it has made their day and brought smiles to their faces,” he said.
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He told HuffPost he’s also received offers on the entire collection from a repackaging company, a discount firm, and even a promotions company that wants to use the plates, mugs and tea sets as part of a giveaway.
Baxter’s timing is impeccable, as Queen Elizabeth will mark her accession to the throne on Feb. 6. Elizabeth became queen 70 years ago on that day — following the death of her father, King George VI, in 1952.
Feb. 6 is generally a solemn day for the queen, and this will be the first time in seven decades that she’ll mark it without her husband by her side, as Prince Philip died last April.
She will commemorate her 70 years on the throne in June, beginning with her ceremonial birthday parade on June 2, 2022, during the official Platinum Jubilee celebrations. (The date is significant as the queen was formally crowned on June 2, 1953.)
The four-day holiday will include a thanksgiving service, a jubilee lunch and pageant and even a live concert, called the “Platinum Party at the Palace.”
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