General info
‘Operation Dynamo’ commemorated on brand new Isle of Man £2 pair!
2020 marks 80 years since the ‘Miracle of Dunkirk’ – one of the greatest turning points of the Second World War.
Known as Operation Dynamo, in 1940 over 300,000 Allied soldiers were evacuated from the beaches and harbour at Dunkirk, France in over 800 hastily assembled vessels.
80 years on, this significant anniversary has been commemorated with the Isle of Man Dunkirk £2 Pair.
2020 Isle of Man Dunkirk £2 Pair
This stunning £2 coin pair features the Isle of Man Steam Company packet ship, the SS Mona’s Isle, rescuing soldiers at Dunkirk.
Mona’s Isle was the first non-military ship to leave Dover for Dunkirk during the evacuation and the first to complete a round trip, rescuing a total of 2,634 troops.
As a perfect tribute to SS Mona’s Isle and the bravery of her crew, this BRAND NEW £2 coin pair has been issued by the Isle of Man.
What’s more, JUST 3,000 of each design will be entering circulation on the Isle of Man – making these coins particularly hard to come by as i’m sure collectors on the island will be quick to snap these up for their collections!
To secure the Isle of Man Dunkirk £2 Pair in Brilliant Uncirculated quality, click here >>
To celebrate these brand new releases, we’re taking a look back at the other coins issued to commemorate the Second World War…
2020 The End of the Second World War £5
2020 marked 75 years since the end of the Second World War and in commemoration this brand new UK £5 coin was issued, honouring the struggles and sacrifices made to achieve lasting peace.
Designers Matt Dent and Christian Davies have included the words ‘WAR’ and ‘PEACE’ on the reverse of this coin.
This £5 coin’s design was said to be inspired by stone war memorials, paying tribute to the millions of lives lost during the six years of conflict.
2020 UK Victory in Europe £2
Issued by The Royal Mint, this 2020 VE Day £2 features a woman holding a newspaper aloft in a crowd of celebrating people, set against a backdrop of the word VICTORY.
2020 marks a particularly poignant anniversary as we celebrate 75 years since Victory in Europe Day. Many celebrations had been scheduled to mark this joyous occasion, including rescheduling the Early May Bank Holiday to the 8th, but were not able to take place due to the pandemic.
In place of the big parties that were planned, people took to their doorsteps to sing and raise a glass over their fence with their neighbours!
The edge inscription of this coin reads ‘JUST TRIUMPH AND PROUD SORROW’ which is incredibly fitting for a coin which marks such a historic anniversary.
2019 75th Anniversary of D-Day £2
D-Day was the largest seaborne invasion in history. It took place on 6th June 1944 and began the liberation of German-occupied France during WWII, laying the foundations of the Allied victory.
Designed by renowned Royal Mint engraver, Stephen Taylor, this coin was issued in 2019 to mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings. It features arrows each pointing across the English Channel to Normandy. Each arrow also has one of the code names used for each of the beaches where Allied troops landed – Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword.
This £2 coin is a timeless tribute to the thousands of Allied troops who fought tirelessly and sacrificed their lives to make the Normandy landings a success.
1994 UK D-Day Landings 50p
On 6th June 1944 a mighty alliance of British, American and Commonwealth armed forces crossed from England to Normandy and began assault on German forces.
It was the largest seaborne invasion in history and began the liberation of German-occupied France, laying the foundations for the Allied victory of World War Two.
A timeless tribute to the thousands of Allied troops who fought tirelessly in the War, this 50p coin was issued in 1994 to commemorate 50 years since D-Day.
2015 UK Battle of Britain 50p
On 6th June 1944 a mighty alliance of British, American and Commonwealth armed forces crossed from England to Normandy and began assault on German forces.
It was the largest seaborne invasion in history and began the liberation of German-occupied France, laying the foundations for the Allied victory of World War Two.
A timeless tribute to the thousands of Allied troops who fought tirelessly in the War, this 50p coin was issued in 1994 to commemorate 50 years since D-Day.
Will you be adding the 2020 Isle of Man Dunkirk £2 Pair to your collection? Let us know in the comments!
Secure the 2020 Isle of Man Dunkirk £2 Pair to your collection
We only have a limited stock available for Change Checkers, so don’t miss your chance to secure this pair for your collection for just £16.99 (+p&p).
Add the 2020 Isle of Man Dunkirk £2 Pair to your collection here >>
It’s all change for the 50ps! Your Scarcity Index…
It’s time for your latest Scarcity Index update, where we’ll reveal the UK’s most sought-after circulation coins of the last three months! And it’s all change again for the 50ps this quarter, as one coin drops a huge 15 places!
With less cash being used because of the current climate, it’s likely this is affecting collecting and it seems this has exposed some new trends on the indexes!
You can use the updated A-Z 10p, 50p and £2 indexes below to discover how sought-after the coins in your collection really are.
This information has been compiled using data from the Change Checker Swap Centre and presented in the easy to use indexes below, with arrows to signify how many places up or down a coin has moved since the last Scarcity Index.
A-Z 10p Scarcity Index
Well we’ve seen another big mix up for the latest A-Z 10p Scarcity Index update, with our biggest climber, M for Mackintosh, jumping up a huge 12 places!
In our last Scarcity Index, we saw the Tea 10p take the top spot for the first time and it’s retained its title this quarter, closely followed by Y for Yeoman Warder.
Other big movers include the H for Houses of Parliament and F for Fish and Chips, both moving down 16 places towards the bottom of the index.
Regardless of where they feature on the above index, if you have any of the A-Z 10ps in your collection you should consider yourself lucky, as they are particularly hard to come by in circulation and each design has a relatively low mintage (just 220,000 of each design released in 2018 and 2.1 million overall in 2019).
50p Scarcity Index
Previously the Football 50p had held second spot behind the most sought-after 50p in circulation, the Kew Gardens, but we saw it drop last quarter, and this Index, it’s similar story! The Judo, Triathlon and Wrestling 50ps have now all bumped the Football 50p to fifth spot.
This update sees a huge jump for Taekwondo, jumping up 11 places and landing it in our top 10. There are big changes for the Wheelchair Rugby and Athletics 50ps too, dropping 15 and 11 respectively.
Since our last Scarcity Index update, we’ve seen the 2018 Peter Rabbit drop 3 places but the 2018 Flopsy Bunny 50p has jumped up 2 spots. As the two rarest Beatrix Potter 50ps in circulation, it’s interesting to see them shuffle once more. These coins are definitely the ones to watch…
£2 Scarcity Index
For the first time in recent updates, the Commonwealth Games coins have been disrupted at the top of the index. The Olympic Handover has bumped the Commonwealth Games Wales £2 out of the top 4, moving up a place.
As for the rest of the index, there’s been a substantial amount of reshuffling. The Shakespeare Tragedies has dropped 11 places, whilst the First World War (Navy) is up 3!
After the announcement that there are no plans to issue any £2 coins into circulation for the next 10 years, it’s likely we’ll see a further shuffle to the £2 Index over the next few quarters.
How your Scarcity Index works
Generally collectors have had to rely upon mintage figures to identify the scarcest coins. But they only tell part of the story. Trying to find a good quality coin from 15 – 20 years ago, even for a higher mintage issue, is much more challenging than a more recent issue, as coins become damaged over time and are ultimately removed from circulation.
Additionally, some designs are more hoarded than others by people who might not normally collect coins – the poignant First World War £2 Coin series being an example. Finally, it can be up to a couple of years before the Royal Mint eventually confirms the actual mintage for an issue.
That’s why we have combined the mintage information with two other key pieces of information.
- How many of each design are listed as “collected” by Change Checkers, indicating the relative ease of finding a particular coin.
- The number of times a design has been requested as a swap over the previous 3 months, showing the current level of collector demand.
Importantly, as new coins are released and popularity rises and falls across different designs the Scarcity Index will be updated quarterly allowing Change Checkers to track the relative performance of the UK’s circulation coins.
How much are my coins worth?
The Scarcity Index does not necessarily equate to value but it is certainly an effective indicator. For example, the Kew Gardens 50p coin commands a premium of up to 200 times face value on eBay.
You can use the 6 point guide to help you determine a more realistic value for your coins.
What about £1 Coins?
The £1 Scarcity Index has already been published for the Round £1 coins and, because they are no longer being issued, this is now set in stone.
Secure the Ultimate A-Z 10p Collector’s Kit to your collection!
The 2018 UK A-Z 10p Collector’s Kit gives you everything you need to collect, display, and protect your collection of A-Z 10p coins as you find them in your change.
Exciting Upcoming Coin Releases!
We’ve been keeping our eyes on the latest Royal Proclamations and excitingly for collectors, there are some new coins on the horizon!
I’m sure you’re just as excited as I am to hear which themes we can expect for these coins, including those of the 2021 issues!
*** UPDATE ***
As of the Royal Proclamation issued on 18th December 2020, it has been confirmed that a brand new 50p will be released next year commemorating Charles Babbage, the English polymath. Babbage originated the concept of a digital programmable computer and is considered by some to be “father of the computer”.
The coin is said feature to the inscription “CHARLES BABBAGE” accompanied by numbers representing the name Babbage in numerical code. Whilst the actual design remains top secret, we’re certainly excited for this coin’s release!
As of the Royal Proclamation issued on the 13th November 2020, it has been confirmed that a number of £5 coins will be released next year and, excitingly for collectors, there will also me a continuation of the Dinosauria 50p series which was a roaring success in 2020!
Collectors of royalty £5s will be pleased to hear that a new £5 coin is being issued featuring the Royal Cypher and the inscription “MY HEART AND MY DEVOTION” alongside the date of the Queen’s birth and the year 2021.
What’s more, the royal theme continues with the tenth coin in the Queen’s Beasts series, the Griffin of Edward III.
A further two £5 coins have also been announced – one commemorating the Saxon King, Alfred the Great and the other celebrating The Royal Albert Hall, with the inscription “INSPIRING ARTS AND SCIENCES”.
To make sure you don’t miss out on adding these coins to your collection as soon as they are released, you can sign up to the Change Checker £5 Subscription Service here >>
Last year’s Dinosauria 50p collection shook the coin collecting world and this year we’re in for a real treat as a further three coins have just been announced!
Each 50p celebrates the Jurassic Coast discoveries made by English fossil collector, dealer, and palaeontologist, Mary Anning.
The coins are set to feature the Temnodontosaurus, Plesiosaurus and Dimorphodon – fantastic creatures that walked the Earth millions of years ago.
Don’t miss your chance to secure these incredible coins for your collection! Sign up to the Change Checker UK New Issue Subscription Service here and never miss another release >>
David Bowie £5
The Royal Proclamation issued on 16th October 2020, confirms that a David Bowie £5 will be issued this year.
Images of the Silver Proof version of the coins have been released and we think the coin looks amazing! It features a portrait of David Bowie himself set against a blue and red lightning bolt, synonymous with the musician and his Aladdin Sane era. We can’t wait to see the BU version when the coin is released!
We can assume this coin will be the latest release in the incredibly popular Music Legends series, in which we’ve already seen a Queen £5 and an Elton John £5 coin.
If you want to make sure you never miss out on owning future new UK £5 issue at the initial release price of just £10.99, including the upcoming 2020 David Bowie £5, you can register for the Change Checker £5 Subscription here >>
Sir Walter Scott £2
It has also been confirmed that a £2 coin will be issued in 2021 commemorating the 250th anniversary of the birth of novelist, historian, and poet, Sir Walter Scott.
The coin’s complete design remains a secret, but we do know it will feature the text: “SIR WALTER SCOTT NOVELIST HISTORIAN POET” encircled by the inscription “250TH ANNIVERSARY OF HIS BIRTH” and the year date.
Excitingly, this coin will also feature the edge inscription, “THE WILL TO DO, THE SOUL TO DARE”, a quote from his epic poem, ‘Marmion: A Tale of Flodden Field’.
H. G. Wells £2
A second £2 coin has been confirmed for 2021, commemorating the life and works of H.G Wells.
Herbert George Wells was an English novelist, sociologist, and historian, best-known for his sci-fi thrillers War of the Worlds, and The Invisible Man.
We can’t wait to see the design for this £2 as The Royal Proclamation alludes to a depiction of the Invisible Man and a Martian encircled by clock numerals. The coin is said to have an inscription which reads “GOOD BOOKS ARE THE WAREHOUSES OF IDEAS”.
John Logie Baird 50p
A 50p has been confirmed for 2021, commemorating Scottish engineer, John Logie Baird, who was the first person to demonstrate a working television.
The design of the 50p features the inscription “JOHN LOGIE BAIRD TELEVISION PIONEER” accompanied by a depiction of a television mast emitting circular radio waves with a range of dates relating to John Logie Baird‘s discovery and developments.
Decimal Day 50p
2021 will mark 50 years since decimalisation and as of the Royal Proclamation, it looks as though we’ll be seeing a special 50p to commemorate the anniversary.
The design of the coin is suggested to feature the inscription ‘Decimal Day 1971’ to mark the anniversary.
Given the popularity of the coins issued in 2019 to mark the 50th Anniversary of the 50p, this coin is sure to be sought-after amongst collectors and we can’t wait to see it!
2021 Team GB 50p
Following the announcement earlier this year that the individual release of the 2020 Team GB 50p would be postponed in accordance with the rescheduling of the Olympic Games, the Royal Proclamation confirms we will see a 2021 dated Team GB coin.
It seems as though the design of the 2020 coin will be replicated for 2021, with the exception of the new 2021 date.
Excitingly, this will mean that there are two versions of the coin – one with the obverse dated 2020 from this year’s Annual Coin Set and one with the obverse dated 2021 for next year’s individual release.
We certainly can’t wait to find out more about these coins, but if you want to make sure you don’t miss out on owning them as soon as they’re released, you can sign up to our Change Checker subscriptions service!
The Change Checker UK CERTIFIED BU Subscription Service
Don’t miss your chance to get ahead of the crowd and be one of the very first collectors to receive the latest UK new issue coins as soon as possible after their release.
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