Royal Mint announce new coins for 2014…
The new UK coins for 2014 have been revealed, and are set to enter circulation this year. Here we take a closer look at the themes behind them, and why 2014 is another significant year for the coinage of the United Kingdom.
This new WWI £2 will enter circulation in 2014
£2 – The First World War
2014 will of course be the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War, and the Royal Mint has committed to a five-year commemoration of the emotive wartime journey from outbreak to armistice. It starts with a £2 coin bearing sculptor John Bergdahl’s depiction of Lord Kitchener’s unmistakable call to arms. The image of the British Secretary of War and his finger pointing at the reader still evokes an enormous sense of British identity and pride, and the coin also features the immortal words YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU.
Trinity House celebrates its 500th anniversary in 2014
£2 – Trinity House
Since being granted a Royal Charter in 1514 by Henry VIII, Trinity House has safeguarded the coastal waters of Britain for over 500 years. Maritime safety became crucial in the 16th Century as Britain began flexing its naval strength overseas. And today, with 95% of the UK’s imports still arriving by sea, the Trinity House pilot ships and lighthouses are still as important today as ever. The reverse design of this new £2 coin features a striking depiction of a lighthouse lens – an enduring symbol of the the safety which Trinity House still provides at sea.
The 2014 Commonwealth Games will be held in Glasgow
50p – Commonwealth Games
In 1986 the Commonwealth Games were held in Edinburgh, and the £2 of that year became the first coin in British history to commemorate a sporting event. Now, as Scotland gears up for the Games again in 2014, a new 50p to mark the occasion has been announced. The 20th Commonwealth Games will see thousands of athletes competing in 17 sports across 11 days in Glasgow. In this new reverse design, two of the most iconic sports – athletics and cycling – have been combined with a section of the St Andrews cross.
£1 – Floral Emblems
2013 saw the start of a £1 coin series celebrating the floral emblems of the British Isles designed by Timothy Noad. Completing the series in 2014 is the flax plant and shamrock to represent Northern Ireland, whilst the thistle and bluebell are portrayed on the Scottish version.
You can now collect all five designs straight from your change with the FREE Change Checker 2014 Coin Collecting Pack.
Are there valuable coins in your pocket?
Although the UK has an enviable record for producing coins of impeccable quality, there has been the odd occasion in the past where a ‘mistake’ has managed to get into circulation. Here are my top three favourites, and if you own one, you can consider yourself very lucky indeed!
1. 1983 Two ‘New’ Pence
When the UK switched to decimal coinage in 1971, it was decided to include the word ‘new’ in the denomination on some of our coins to help differentiate the old from the new. By 1982 the coins were no longer new so the word was dropped, and the 2p design changed from ‘New Pence’ to ‘Two Pence’. However, a mistake was made and a small number of 1983 coins were struck with the inscription ‘New Pence’. Recently a handful have emerged on Ebay for around £100, and a perfect example of the coin is catalogued at £600.
2. 2011 Aquatics 50p
The series of twenty-nine 50ps issued for the Olympic Games have become some of the most sought after UK decimal coins ever issued. But one coin could actually be rarer than 
the others. The Aquatics 50p was initially struck with the impression of the athlete underwater (see left coin) – but this was swiftly changed to make the swimmer’s face clearer (coin on the right). None appear to have recorded an officially catalogued selling price yet, but when they do this ‘error’ coin could end up as the most valuable of the lot.
3. The Undated 20p
We often get comments on our Facebook page about people who have found an undated 20p. It has to be one of the most talked about ‘mules’ of the decade – where the obverse and the reverse of a coin don’t match. The result of this mistake led to the first ‘undated’ UK coin for over 300 years – and 200,000 of them made it into circulation. However, banks and The Royal Mint swiftly tried to withdraw them, so many will have been destroyed – but a handful will undoubtedly remain. Initial hysteria led to some crazy prices being quoted for this coin, but in the future when the market has settled down it could well be one of the most sought after definitive pieces of the early 21st century.
Special mention: The Edward VIII Threepence
Now you won’t find this in your change, but if your grandparents have some coins at the back of the cupboard it might be worth having a quick look through in case a King Edward VIII Threepence is hiding there. Famously the King abdicated before any coins bearing his image could be struck, but a handful of 3d coins were produced as test pieces. Some of them made their way into private hands, and one recently came up at auction for £30,000!
Suffice to say, it’s worth keeping an eye on your change, as you may well have an error coin in your pocket that hasn’t even been discovered yet! And if you do, there’s every chance you could be quids in!
Want to start your own collection?
You can find, collect and even swap all of the UK’s commemorative circulating coins with Change Checker – take a look at the app here: www.changechecker.org
Do you remember the £1 note?
In 1984 it was announced the English £1 note would be completely phased out.
It’s now been 30 years since the humble £1 banknote ceased to be legal tender, having been gradually replaced by the £1 coin and fully removed from circulation in 1988.
To remember this lost gem from the 80’s, we’ve put together 10 facts about our banknotes and coins;
1) The pound note was replaced by the pound coin and officially withdrawn from circulation in 1988.
2) Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was sceptical about the new coin which was first issued in 1983. She told MPs it was “not very popular” and believed the pound note would be retained.
3) The Royal Mint justified the logic behind replacing the £1 note with a coin: “The £1 note was in constant use on average lasting only nine months, whereas a coin can last as long as forty years and with the growth in the vending industry it was felt that a coin would be more useful.”
4) The first £10 note was issued in 1759 in response to gold shortages caused by the Seven Years War. The first £5 notes followed in 1793.
5) Five pounds was the lowest denomination in note form until 1797, when a series of runs on the Bank of England led to it issuing £1 and £2 notes.
6) Cashiers previously had the pain-staking task of filling in the name of the payee and signing each bank note individually. They were relieved of this duty after the first fully printed notes appeared in 1853.
7) Bank notes come in different ascending sizes, so the £5 note is smaller than the £10 which is smaller than the £20.
8) The withdrawal of the pound note in the 1980s was the biggest change to our currency since decimalisation in 1971.
9) The first £2 coin was issued in 1986 to commemorate the 13th Commonwealth Games being held in Scotland. The coin was not in general circulation until 1998.
10) The highest value note in circulation is £50. The most recent version is the first banknote to feature two Britons on the back – James Watt and Matthew Boulton.
Own the Last English £1 Banknote
This £1 Banknote features the signature of the Chief Cashier at the time, D H F Somerset, and a portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.