The 2p drought returns…2022 Mintage Figures REVEALED!

One of the biggest numismatic updates of the year comes when the latest mintage figures are announced, and The Royal Mint have just revealed the mintages of all coins that entered circulation in 2022! Each year, when this information is released, we update our Change Checker Mintage charts to see where new circulating coins rank.

We saw millions of almost every denomination enter circulation in 2022, however there was one denomination that you won’t find with a 2022 date in your change…read on to find out more.

50p Mintage Figures

50p Mintage Figure Chart
50p Mintage Figure Chart

Three commemorative 50p designs entered circulation in 2022, as well as the definitive Royal Shield 50p design. It was a year of ‘firsts’ as the 2022 Platinum Jubilee 50p was the first ever royal 50p to be issued and the Queen Elizabeth Memorial 50p was the first ever UK coin issued bearing King Charles III on the obverse.

2022 Platinum Jubilee 50p reverse
2022 Platinum Jubilee 50p reverse
2022 Queen Elizabeth Memorial 50p obverse
2022 Queen Elizabeth Memorial 50p obverse

With the Queen Elizabeth Memorial 50p marking a new era of coinage featuring the King, many collectors old and new were excited to find it in their change. We opened our collector map to track where they were popping up across the country, and it turned out the place most people found one was Newcastle!

Find out where the rest were found >>

Queen Elizabeth Memorial 50p Collector Map
Queen Elizabeth Memorial 50p Collector Map

Despite these new coins being extremely sought after amongst collectors, the 2009 Kew Gardens 50p remains at the top of our chart, with a circulating mintage of only 210,000!

 2009 Kew Gardens 50p
2009 Kew Gardens 50p

£2 Mintage Figures

£2 Mintage Figure Chart

After 2016, there was a 4 year period where no new £2 coins, either commemorative or definitive, entered circulation, however this changed in 2021 when 6,045,000 Britannia £2 coins were released into circulation.

The newly released figures show that in 2022, 4,030,000 Britannia £2s entered circulation, and although the amount is considerably lower than the previous year, it is indicative that there is a demand for £2 coins.

Britannia £2 reverse
Britannia £2 reverse

We still haven’t seen any new commemorative £2 coin designs enter circulation since 2016, however, when this does happen next, it’ll be the first to feature the King on the obverse – another collecting ‘first’!

2022 Definitives

The mintage figures for 2022 dated definitive coins were also revealed…

  • Nations of the Crown £1: 7,735,000
  • Royal Shield 20p: 42,875,000
  • Royal Shield 10p: 38,000,000
  • Royal Shield 5p: 42,800,000
  • Royal Shield 2p: 0
  • Royal Shield 1p: 30,000,000

As mentioned above, you might notice something odd about one of the denominations’ mintage figure – the Royal Shield 2p doesn’t have one! But this isn’t the first time that the 2 pence piece has had a mintage figure of zero.

2p Mintage Figures from The Royal Mint
2p Mintage Figures from The Royal Mint

No 2p coins entered circulation in 2018, 2019 or 2020, however it made a comeback in 2021 with a whopping 117,700,000 entering circulation. Despite its resurgence in 2021, it seems that the 2p drought could be returning – hopefully not for 3 years this time!


It’s always exciting when new mintage figures are revealed and you realise just how rare the change in your pocket really is!

2022 Circulation Coins
2022 Circulation Coins

Have you been lucky enough to find any 2022 dated coins in your change? Let us know in the comments!


If you’re interested in coin collecting, our Change Checker web app is completely free to use and allows users to:

– Find and identify the coins in their pocket
– Collect and track the coins they have
– Swap their spare coins with other Change Checkers

Sign-up here for FREE >>

16 Comments

  1. Dylan on September 15, 2023 at 6:01 pm

    In 50p pyramid, no judo, triathlon, or other olympic rarities, much rarer than jemima puddle duck…

    Why???



    • Dylan on September 15, 2023 at 6:02 pm

      Also found many 2022 charles 50ps, but not the coronation. 🙁



    • Kate on September 19, 2023 at 11:18 am

      Hi Dylan, the Olympic 50ps are ranked on a scale of their own which you can find here: https://www.changechecker.org/2018/06/28/do-you-own-the-rarest-olympic-50p/.
      This pyramid wasn’t included in the latest mintage figure update as no new Olympic 50ps have entered circulation this year.
      I hope that helps! Kate



  2. Dylan on September 15, 2023 at 5:58 pm

    Found plenty of Charles 50ps BUT really want the coronation one.



  3. Frances Watts on September 5, 2023 at 6:23 pm

    I have had many Jubilee and Pride coins in my change. I don’t keep them any more – they are back in circulation.



  4. Tracy on September 5, 2023 at 8:04 am

    I have a pride 50p with 2022 and the queen 70 jubilee too



  5. Simon Wainwright on September 4, 2023 at 7:12 pm

    2023 2 pounds coin I have but not the ones you mention

    I have a beautiful 5 pound ls Olympic coin with stone henge on one side and the Olympic badge in blue

    2 pounds 2021 beautiful 999 fine silver brittanna



  6. Jim on September 3, 2023 at 4:01 pm

    Thanks for spotting those figures, very informative reporting – quick work as only appeared on the Royal Mint website a day or so before yours – I haven’t seen any of the 2022 definitives yet and am still waiting to spot the 2021 1p, 20p, £1 and £2. As for the as yet unseen 2020 shield 50p (over 46 mil of them) they must be hiding in the cash centres in reserve as never seen one. 2022 will be a pretty scarce year all round though with relatively low mintages and new record lows for the 1p and new £1.



    • Kate on September 4, 2023 at 1:32 pm

      Hi Jim, it’s definitively interesting to see how the demand for each denomination affects the amount that enter circulation. Keep searching!
      Kate



  7. Danny Ram on September 3, 2023 at 4:22 am

    I had a 1972 2p, 1973 2p and a 2022 2p I found I can’t believe it, 3 NIFCs I’ve found.



  8. Peter Clarke on September 2, 2023 at 4:08 pm

    I haven’t found a £1 coin since 2020. I’ve been collecting them since they first were introduced.
    You don’t mention them in your narrative despite them being the British base unit of currency.



    • Kate on September 4, 2023 at 1:30 pm

      Hi Peter, the £1 coin is mentioned in the definitive coin section stating that 7,735,000 2022 dated Nations of the Crown £1 coins entered circulation in 2022. As there hasn’t been a commemorative £1 coin design released since the 12-side pound was introduced, they still class as definitives.

      I hope that helps, Kate



  9. Matt P on September 2, 2023 at 12:09 am

    The top £2 – 2002 N.Ireland coin states just ”Ireland” in the pyramid. Thought to point out



    • Kate on September 4, 2023 at 1:41 pm

      Hi Matt, that’s a good spot, we’re getting that updated.
      Kind regards, Kate



  10. Christopher Rinaldi on September 1, 2023 at 9:14 pm

    Interesting article. Royal Mint mintage figures shows there were £2, £1, 20p and 1p released in 2021. I’m still yet to see these in circulation so I wonder when the 2022 will appear.



  11. Mandy on September 1, 2023 at 5:48 pm

    I havent seen any new 2021 or 2022 coins so will be looking out for them