Posts Tagged ‘Two Pound’
‘Forces Sweetheart’, Dame Vera Lynn, commemorated on UK £2 coin
In 2020, we received the sad news that Dame Vera Lynn had sadly passed away. The iconic wartime singer was famous for boosting the morale of British troops during WWII.
Coined as the ‘forces sweetheart’, her renditions of We’ll Meet Again, the White Cliffs of Dover and I’ll be Seeing You, became synonyms with wartime.
Dame Vera Lynn played such a key role during wartime that Buckingham Palace sent a private message of condolence to her family.
And in 2022, to commemorate her life and achievements, The Royal Mint commemorated her on a UK £2 coin.
Designed by The Royal Mint, this £2 features a detailed portrait of Vera Lynn as she appeared during the height of her fame.
The popularity of her songs carried across generations. In 2020, when many of us were forced apart from one another, her famous song ‘We’ll Meet Again’ spoke to the nation once more, with a similar level of emotion as they did in 1940 – a testament to her charm, skill, and beautiful voice.
To learn more about other UK coins which have been issued to commemorate wartime, continue reading…
2020 Victory in Europe £2
2020 marked 75 years since Victory in Europe Day, commonly known as VE Day.
This monumental day signified the end of the Second World War in Europe and brought long-awaited peace following Nazi Germany’s unconditional surrender of armed forces on the 8th May 1945.
To commemorate this pivotal moment and one of the most historically significant days in British history, a UK £2 coin was issued.
Dominique Evans‘ design features a woman holding a newspaper aloft in crowd of celebrating people, set against a backdrop of the word VICTORY.
The edge inscription reads ‘JUST TRIUMPH AND PROUD SORROW’ which is incredibly fitting for a coin which marks such a historic anniversary.
2019 D-Day £2
In 2019, The Royal Mint issued a £2 coin commemorating the 75th Anniversary of D-Day, the largest seaborne invasion in history.
The invasion took place on the 6th June 1944 and began the liberation of German occupied France and laid the foundations for the Allied Victory.
Initially issued as part of the 2019 Annual Coin Set, the D-Day £2 is favoured among collectors for its innovative design by Stephen Taylor.
The reverse features arrows pointing across the English Channel to Normandy; each arrow has one of the five code-names for the beaches where Allied Troops landed: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword.
2005 St. Paul’s Cathedral £2
In 2005, The Royal Mint issued a second £2 in the new bi-metallic specifications to commemorate 60 years since the end of the war.
On 8th May 1945, Winston Churchill announced VE Day – Victory in Europe, which marked the end of World War Two.
Interestingly, the reverse design depicts St. Paul’s Cathedral. This is because the cathedral was one of only a few structures which survived the Blitz to become a great symbol of hope to a war-torn nation.
The edge inscription reads ‘IN VICTORY: MAGNANIMITY, IN PEACE: GOODWILL’ which is part of the famous maxim that prefaces Churchill’s history of the Second World War.
10,191,000 entered circulation. Have you found one in your change? Comment below!
Secure the 2022 UK Dame Vera Lynn £2 in the 2022 Annual Set
The Dame Vera Lynn £2 is no longer available, but you can still secure it as part of the 2022 Annual Coin Set >>
Isle of Man celebrate Christmas with brand new Nativity £2 coin!
Each year, I eagerly anticipate the Isle of Man‘s latest Christmas issue. From the popular 2018 Hunt the Wren £2 to the charming Santa £2 of 2019, the Isle of Man are one of the best when it comes to festive coins.
But this year, I’ve been left mesmerised by the design of their latest £2 coin. Taking influence from the origins of Christmas, the 2021 Isle of Man Christmas £2 depicts a design of the Nativity scene from the stained glass window found in the Kirk Christ Church on the Island.
2021 Isle of Man Christmas Nativity £2
Designed by Glen Davies, this £2 coin is a truly unique festive addition to any collection this Christmas season. With Christmas just a matter of weeks away, this stunning £2 coin makes for the perfect gift or stocking filler for a friend or relative!
Your coin has been struck to a superior Brilliant Uncirculated quality – the standard favoured amongst collectors! Carefully encapsulated in Official Change Checker packaging with that all-important security hologram guaranteeing its quality, your coin will be protected for generations to come.
To secure yours for JUST £8.99 (+p&p) simply click here >>
Following in the popularity of previous Isle of Man Christmas coins, this set is sure to be in high demand amongst collectors.
JUST 5,000 will be entering circulation on the Isle of Man, so this coin will be particularly hard to come by, as I’m sure collectors on the island will be quick to snap them up!
The island has released some truly beautiful coins in recent years, and as their mintage figures are typically much lower than UK coins, they are often highly sought-after by collectors…
2020 ‘A Christmas Carol’ £2 Coins
In 2020, to mark the 150th year since the passing of Charles Dickens, the Isle of Man issued three enchanting £2 coins, each inspired by his timeless Christmas tale, A Christmas Carol, including:
- Scrooge and the Ghost of Christmas Present
- Scrooge and the Ghost of Christmas Past and Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come
- Scrooge with Tiny Tim as a representation of his redemption
A Christmas Carol, published in 1843, is arguably one of Charles Dickens’ most famous novels – teaching us to keep the spirit of Christmas and kindness in our hearts all year round.
We have limited stock remaining of these coins for Change Checkers. If you’re yet to secure these coins for your collection, simply click here >>
2019 Santa £2 Coin
Prior to 2019, the Isle of Man issued Christmas themed 50ps most years. However, this incredibly popular Santa £2 coin created a new tradition.
This magical design features an enchanting portrait of Old St. Nick and bears the inscription ‘Nollick Ghennal’ which is Manx for ‘Merry Christmas’.
At the top of the coin, the distinctive Isle of Man Triskelion (three armoured legs) can be seen. This coin was so popular that sadly some Change Checkers missed out on securing it for their collections!
2018 Hunt the Wren £2
Boxing day on the Isle of Man, is often reserved for a very special but unusual tradition.
Communities come together across the island to dance and sing in the streets around “the king of all birds” who is paraded around on a pole.
Hunt the Wren, as it is known on the island has become one of the most popular yet more unusual Manx traditions in practice today.
The practice dates back to Pagan times and is centred on the wren bird, which is hunted and then danced through the streets on a special pole.
This £2 coin was issued in 2018 by The Isle of Man to celebrate the Manx tradition.
With the Isle of Man having a history of remarkably popular coins, this latest £2 issue is SURE to be in high demand with collectors!
Are you a collector on the Isle of Man? Will you be checking your change for this brand new coin?
Celebrate the festive period with this brand new £2 coin!
Don’t miss out on your chance to own this BRAND NEW 2021 Christmas £2! Click here right now >>
The 2021 Isle of Man Christmas Nativity £2 coin is a truly unique festive addition to any collection this Christmas season, or could even make the perfect Christmas gift or stocking filler for a friend or relative!
This brand new festive £2 coin has been struck to a superior Brilliant Uncirculated quality – the standard favoured amongst collectors – and has been carefully encapsulated in Official Change Checker packaging with that all-important security hologram guaranteeing its quality.
‘The Father of Science Fiction’, H. G. Wells, is celebrated on a UK £2 coin…
In the late 1800s, Herbert George Wells created a new breed of novel, pioneering the genre that would later be defined as science fiction.
His creative and forward-thinking novels provide a window to the future and have become famous all over the world, with his audience spanning across generations.
In the year marking the 75th anniversary of his death, a UK £2 coin was issued, featuring a design which pays a fitting tribute to his famous novels, Time Machine, The Invisible Man, and War of the Worlds.
2021 UK H. G. Wells £2
Chris Costello’s design on the coin takes inspiration from these world-famous novels, with a depiction of the Invisible Man and a Martian encircled by clock numerals.
The 2021 H. G. Wells £2 is no longer available from The Royal Mint, but you can still secure it in Brilliant Uncirculated Quality from Change Checker >>
Have you ever seen a four-legged tripod?
Arguably one of the most controversial and talked about coin designs of 2021, the H. G. Wells £2 paid tribute to the Father of Science-Fiction’s best known works and includes a design featuring the Invisible Man as well as a four-legged ‘tripod’.
This unusual design hit the headlines when eagle-eyed collectors picked up on the additional leg featured on the Martian from Well’s famed War of the Worlds when the coin was originally issued in the 2021 Annual Coin Set.
H.G. Wells £2 – Blank ‘Error’
The coin hit the headlines once more for another reason, after another supposed ‘error’ was spotted on the version issued as part of the 2021 Annual Coin Set.
With the clue in the name, a bi-metallic coin is usually made up of a combination of a silver coloured cupro-nickel disc and an outer yellow nickel-brass ring. However, in the case of this H.G. Wells £2 coin, it appears that the blank used has a thicker yellow ring, much wider than what we’d see on normal £2 coins.
When striking £2 coins, the first step is to punch a hole through a blank planchet to create the outer section. The inner core is taken from a different metal, sized to fit inside the outer ring.
There have been estimations that if this coin was to be sold at auction, it could fetch over £1,000! Errors and mis-strikes like this certainly makes for interesting collecting!
The Father of Science Fiction
After the publication of his first novel, The Time Machine, in 1895, H. G. Wells became an overnight sensation. He began to write a series of science fiction novels that would define him as a truly original writer.
The War of the Worlds (1898) and The Invisible Man (1897) joined The Time Machine as H. G. Wells most celebrated and well-known novels .
Wells was described by his contemporaries as undeviating and fearless in his efforts for social equality, world peace, and what he considered to be the future good of humanity.
Add the 2021 UK H. G. Wells £2 to your collection today!
The 2021 UK H. G. Wells £2 is no longer available from The Royal Mint, but you can still secure it in Brilliant Uncirculated quality from Change Checker >>
This coin was even issued in a limited edition display card, limited to just 4,995 worldwide! Secure yours >>