Posts by Holly
Change Checker £2 Trading Card Update: 11 New Designs Released!
Exciting news, Change Checkers! A brand-new batch of 11 exclusive Change Checker £2 Trading Cards has just been released.
From the Great Fire of London £2 to the Shakespeare Tragedies £2, there are 11 all-new designs to discover – randomly included for FREE in selected deliveries*.
How can I collect them?
Our Trading Cards aren’t available to purchase, so the only way to get your hands on them is in your Change Checker deliveries. We’ll pop Trading Cards into deliveries from time to time, or you might be lucky enough to win some in one of our giveaways.
Reveal your mystery £2 design
Simply scratch away the silver film to reveal which £2 coin design you’ve received as your FREE Trading Card and key facts about it.
All the fun of the hunt
Each card has been printed in a volume that reflects the coin’s overall rarity, so you have all the same joy of the hunt.
They’re easy and fun to collect and fit straight into our Change Checker Plus Album pages. Plus you can swap with your friends and family, or even with other Change Checkers via the Change Checker Community group on Facebook.
Which new £2 trading card will you find first? Happy collecting!
* Inclusion of FREE Change Checker Trading Cards is subject to availability at the time of despatch. They may not be included in every Change Checker delivery.
For more information about our Change Checker Trading Cards visit our FAQs here:
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
The Ship That Changed the World: HMS Beagle Honoured on New UK £2 Coin
The UK 2026 HMS Beagle £2 coin has been issued by The Royal Mint to honour one of Britain’s most iconic ships of exploration – a vessel whose legacy would go on to transform our understanding of life on Earth.
While HMS Beagle may not be a household name, her legacy is undeniable – particularly due to her second voyage.
It was during this expedition that the ship carried a young naturalist, Charles Darwin, on a journey across the globe.
Setting sail in 1831, HMS Beagle charted a course along the coasts of South America before continuing to the Galápagos Islands and beyond. Along the way, Darwin’s observations of unique wildlife to dramatic geological formations – would go on to shape his revolutionary theory of evolution by natural selection.
What began as a surveying expedition would ultimately become one of the most important scientific journeys in history.
A Coin Inspired by Discovery
Issued to mark 200 years since HMS Beagle’s first voyage, this £2 coin pays tribute to a ship whose legacy reaches far beyond maritime exploration.
The reverse design, created by William Webb, depicts HMS Beagle with her sails furled, surrounded by wildlife inspired by Darwin’s ground-breaking observations. This detailed composition not only celebrates the ship itself, but also the discoveries that were made possible on board.
Bringing together themes of exploration, science and British heritage, this coin offers collectors a meaningful way to mark a truly significant anniversary.
A Tradition of Historic Ships on UK £2 Coins
HMS Beagle now joins a long line of iconic vessels commemorated on UK £2 coins – each one telling the story of Britain’s rich maritime past.
In 2011, the Mary Rose £2 coin honoured Henry VIII’s famous warship, raised from the seabed in 1982. With just 1,040,000 Mary Rose £2 coins in circulation, it ranks as less common on our Scarcity Index.
The First World War Navy £2, issued in 2015, paid tribute to the naval forces of WWI, featuring a powerful battleship design. Many collectors will be familiar with the well-known ‘flag error’ variation found on some coins.
More recently, the Mayflower £2 coin was released in 2020 to mark 400 years since the historic voyage that carried the Pilgrims to the New World.
And in 2025, two maritime-themed £2 coins continued this tradition – HMS Belfast, celebrating the iconic Royal Navy warship now preserved on the River Thames, and RRS Discovery, recognising a pioneering vessel of Antarctic exploration whose voyages helped advance scientific understanding of the polar regions.
With such a rich tradition of maritime commemoratives, HMS Beagle is a natural addition – a ship whose legacy goes beyond exploration to transforming our understanding of the natural world.
Secure your 2026 UK HMS Beagle £2
Add the new 2026 UK HMS Beagle £2 coin to your collection >>
BREAKING NEWS – UK Wildlife to Feature on the Next Series of Banknotes
UPDATE: Public Vote Now Open – Choose Your Favourite Wildlife Species
The Bank of England has now unveiled the 18 animals shortlisted to appear on the next series of UK banknotes, and the public is being invited to have their say.
The shortlist includes some of Britain’s most recognisable wildlife species, from the Atlantic Puffin, Barn Owl and White-tailed Eagle to the European Hedgehog, Red Fox and Bottlenose Dolphin. Aquatic, amphibious and insect species have also been shortlisted, including the Atlantic Salmon, Buff-tailed Bumblebee and Emperor Dragonfly.
The full shortlist is :
The public consultation is open until 3 July 2026, giving everyone the opportunity to help shape the future of Britain’s banknotes.
The Bank of England has stated that while individual species will feature prominently on the notes, future designs could also incorporate related natural habitats, plants and landscapes to celebrate the UK’s rich natural heritage.
You can cast your vote by visiting the Bank of England consultation page HERE.
Which Animal Would You Choose?
Let us know your favourite from the shortlist in the comments below. 🦉🦔🦊🐬
This exciting update follows a nationwide consultation held in July 2025, where the public was asked to vote on what theme they would like to see represented on the next generation of banknotes.
After reviewing the responses and holding focus groups across the UK, the nature theme received the highest number of nominations, with many people suggesting wildlife native to the UK.
So in the future, our banknotes could celebrate the incredible animals that live right here in the UK!
Public Vote to Decide the Wildlife
Although the theme has now been confirmed, the specific animals that will appear on the banknotes have not yet been chosen.
The Bank of England plans to launch a second public consultation in summer 2026, giving people the chance to help decide which wildlife should feature on the new designs.
To help create the shortlist, the Bank has assembled a panel of wildlife experts from across the UK, who will help identify suitable species for the public to vote on.
While the focus will be on animals native to the UK, the final designs could also include other natural elements such as plants, flowers and landscapes to complete the overall look of the notes.
Which Animals Would You Like to See?
Could we see a hedgehog on the £10, a puffin on the £20, or maybe a red fox on the £50?
There are so many amazing species that could feature on the next series of banknotes.
Which UK wildlife would you love to see appear on a banknote?
Let us know in the comments below!