The Royal Mint website has been swamped by coin collectors after the Queen's death was announced on Thursday. Also Britain's oldest company, the official maker of UK coins was forced to post a message on its website asking collectors to "please bear with us" as queues of up to 35 people built up.
The welcome page carried a message on Monday telling visitors to expect a high volume of traffic. As thousands scrambled to buy coins etched with the Queen's face a message said: "Thank you for visiting our website. Following the incredibly sad news of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, we are currently experiencing a particularly high volume of traffic to our website.
"Please bear with us as we manage this. Queen Elizabeth II ruled with heart and devotion, and will be dearly missed by all of us at The Royal Mint and by millions of people around the world. The remarkable legacy-of Britain's longest serving monarch will live on for many years to come."
