£2 Coins
Did you know this £2 coin celebrates VE Day?
‘The greatest outburst of joy in the history of mankind’ was how Winston Churchill described it. After six long years, the War in Europe was finally over, and all hostilities were to cease after midnight on 8th May 1945, VE Day. Jubilant crowds sang and danced in the streets in celebration of the news.
The VE Day 60th Anniversary £2 features St Paul’s Cathedral
It’s a day that will always be celebrated in Britain, and there’s already a coin in our change to commemorate VE Day, but it often goes overlooked.
The chances are you’ve seen this £2 coin in your change before. In fact, it is the most common commemorative £2 coin design with a mintage of over 10 million. It was issued in 2005 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of VE Day, but it is often mistaken as a tribute to St Paul’s Cathedral which features so prominently on the reverse.
But there is a story behind this striking choice of design.
The war brought sheer devastation to British cities, but while London burned during the Blitz bombings, St Paul’s Cathedral miraculously escaped destruction. As banks and offices were destroyed around it, the famous domed roof seemed, as described by the Times, ‘to ride the sea of fire like a great ship’.
The image of St Paul’s Cathedral came to be a symbol of hope and inspiration to a nation torn apart by war.
“In Victory: Magnanimity. In Peace: Goodwill”
The edge inscription of this coin meanwhile reads IN VICTORY: MAGNANIMITY. IN PEACE: GOODWILL which is an excerpt taken from the famous ‘moral’ which prefaces Churchill’s history of the Second World War.
The combination of powerful words from Britain’s great wartime leader and the iconic symbol of St Paul’s Cathedral make this coin a very fitting tribute for VE Day, and a fine example of the artistry which British coins are famous for.
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Always ‘Pemember’ the facts about rare £2 coins
Every keen collector knows that it is worthwhile paying close attention to the small details of your coins – it’s the only way you can ever hope to spot an error. However, it’s also important to know when you have a genuine rarity. There are a few stories which crop up more often than others, and hopefully this post will help dispel some of the myths about the £2 coins you can find in your change.
2005 ‘Pemember, Pemember’ Gunpowder Plot £2
The edge inscription of the Gunpowder Plot £2 appears to be spelt incorrectly
The 2005 Gunpowder Plot £2 commemorates the 400th anniversary of Guy Fawkes’ failed assassination attempt on King James I, but the coin is more familiar to collectors for having a spelling mistake in the edge inscription. The timeless quote “Remember, remember the fifth of November” has been found with various combinations of Pemember, Pemembep, Novemebep and so on. The common factor here is the ‘R’ which appears as a ‘P’.
Sadly for collectors this is apparently not a striking error. The explanation from the Royal Mint is that the down-stroke of the R coincides with the milling around the edge, and as the coin has worn over time, the letter has become less defined. This categorical statement from the Mint means that any mark-up in price for a supposed ‘error’ is completely unjustified, and although it makes the coin more interesting, it is not the mistake which it is often perceived to be.
2007 Abolition of Slavery £2
There is a misconception that there were two types of the Abolition of Slavery £2 coin struck for circulation. It is true that two versions of the coins exist – one has a textured finish whereas the other has a smooth finish and features the artist, David Gentleman’s initials (circled). The key difference is that only the textured version was struck for circulation, and if you find one of the smoother types in your change, you have actually found a coin which has been taken out of a presentation pack. This makes it considerably rarer than the circulating version, so it is worth keeping rather than spending!
1997 Maklouf ‘Queen with a Necklace’ £2
The Maklouf ‘Necklace’ £2 was only issued in 1997
The ‘Queen with a Necklace’ £2 has an enduring legacy in the collecting world. The very first bi-metallic £2 coins were issued in 1997, just prior to the Queen’s portrait change in 1998. This meant that the older portrait by Raphael Maklouf was only used for one year: 1997. His version featured Queen Elizabeth II wearing a necklace, which is how the nickname was derived.
When the portrait change was announced, the new £2 coins were snapped up by collectors believing them to be a future rarity. As it turned out, a mintage of nearly 14 million means the ‘Queen with a Necklace’ £2 is not one of the rarest coins in circulation. Nevertheless, with only one year of issue, it still holds an undeniable interest for collectors.
It’s the little details like these that make collecting so interesting – and hopefully we’ve shed a bit more light on some of the most popular myths. Do you have any of these coins in your collection?
Own the UK 2007 Royal Mint Brilliant Uncirculated Pack
This Brilliant Uncirculated collection features nine coins which were released in 2007, including the Abolition of Slavery £2 coin.
Each coin in the pack is struck to the Royal Mint’s Brilliant Uncirculated quality, ensuring they are in superior condition compared to the coins you find in your change
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The £2 coin that never was…
A £2 coin is a familiar sight to us – the gold coloured outer ring with the silver-coloured inner section is instantly recognisable in our loose change. That bi-metallic style was first issued for general circulation in 1997.
But did you know that the very first version was actually struck in 1994?
Not many people know it exists, but it is highly sought after by collectors.
The reverse design of the trial piece features a three-masted sailing ship – thought to be the Mayflower
The reason this coin has remained largely unknown is that it was only issued as a trial piece, and was never legal tender. Trial pieces are used by the Royal Mint to test the minting process of a new coin, and to help the automatic vending industry re-calibrate their machines in preparation.
Other than the handful given as samples for testing, this trial £2 coin was only ever issued in a presentation pack (pictured) and was billed as “The United Kingdom’s first bi-colour coin”.
The packs contained examples of the outer and inner blanks and a nickel-brass ring to demonstrate the stages of production involved with this innovative new style.
The £2 trial pieces were only made available to the general public in presentation packs
The trialled reverse design features a three-masted sailing ship. Although the ship is not named, it is likely to be the Mayflower, which set sail from Plymouth to America to establish the first permanent New-England colony. The outer ring bears the inscription Royal Mint Trial with the date, 1994.
So, how rare are these 1994 trial £2 coins?
There were just over 4,500 packs issued which makes it an incredibly rare example of a bi-metallic £2 coin.
“…more than 100 times rarer than the
rarest £2 coin in circulation.”
To put that into perspective, the £2 coin with the lowest mintage currently in circulation is the 2002 Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland design. It has a mintage of 485,500. This means the 1994 trial piece is more than 100 times rarer than the rarest £2 coin in circulation.
They are not easy to get hold of, though. If you have one, you are in a very select group of collectors. These packs often sell for well into three figures on auction websites such as ebay. Not a bad return for a £2 coin!
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 today at: www.changechecker.org/app