Philip Pullman has called for a boycott over the new Brexit 50p coin due to a missing Oxford comma.

In a tweet that will have been exceptionally popular with English teachers, the novelist wrote “The ‘Brexit’ 50p coin is missing an Oxford comma, and should be boycotted by all literate people" adding "But worse even than comma misuse is the advertiser's habit of using adjectives as nouns, as in 'Find your happy', provoking most justly my wrath and indignation against them."

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The coin, which enters circulation on January 31, reads: “Peace, prosperity and friendship with all nations.”

Brexit(HM Treasury)

An Oxford comma is used after the penultimate item in a list of three or more items, so would be placed after the word “prosperity”.

His Dark Materials author Sir Philip wrote on Twitter that the omission meant the coin should “be boycotted by all literate people”.

Stig Abell, the editor of the Times Literary Supplement, also condemned the coin’s punctuation.

He tweeted: “Not perhaps the only objection, but the lack of a comma after ‘prosperity’ is killing me.”

Author and economics commentator Frances Coppola said the punctuation was not essential for the new 50p.

Responding to Sir Philip, she tweeted: “As all literate people know, the Oxford comma is entirely optional.

“But it offends both in its presence and its absence.

“Whatever the choice, someone will think it wrong.

“There could not be a better commemoration of Brexit.”

The Guardian style guide says "straightforward lists do not need an Oxford comma, but it can sometimes help the reader – and it is sometimes essential."