£2 Coins
What’s so special about the 2015 Britannia £2 coin?
Britannia has a long standing history with British coinage. Having first appeared on a 1672 Farthing during the reign of Charles II, she subsequently featured on a British coin in one way or another for more than 300 years. In 2008 she was surprisingly dropped from the 50 pence piece despite a Daily Mail campaign to save her.
Britannia has appeared on many British coin denominations over the past 300 years.
After a short absence, in February 2015 it was announced that Britannia would be making a triumphant return to British circulating coins. Antony Dufort’s modern interpretation of Britannia was to feature on Britain’s highest denomination coin, the £2, replacing the “technology” design which had featured on the coin since 1997.
Antony Dufort’s modern interpretation of Britannia.
It was a very popular move from The Royal Mint, even the then Prime Minister David Cameron said: “It is great to see Britannia’s welcome return to our currency. Britannia is an enduring symbol of our national identity, ideal to help reinforce the sense of shared purpose and history for Britons.”
However, it wasn’t until 2016 when The Mint released the mintage figures for the 2015 coins that the real surprise was unveiled.
Only 650,000 of the 2015 date Britannia £2 coins had been stuck for circulation, making it one of the most scarce UK £2 coins ever! So scarce in fact that there were fewer of this coin than the England and the Scotland coins from the famous 2002 Commonwealth Games series.
The 2015 Britannia £2 coin is the joint third most scarce £2 in circulation.
The astonishing fact that Britannia had appeared on a circulating British coin in one way or another in an unbroken cycle between 1672 and 2008 was enough to ensure this £2 would be a favourite with collectors. The announcement of such a low mintage figure then created somewhat of a collecting frenzy!
The 2015 Britannia coin remains highly sought after by collectors.
The UK 2015 Britannia £2 Coin
This first-year 2015 £2 Britannia is already one of the most-scarce circulating £2 coins ever issued with just 650,000 coins passing through banks and cash centres.
That places it third equal in the all-time low mintage charts!
First look: New Royal Mint coin designs for 2018!
Every year The Royal Mint mark the year’s memorable events and anniversaries that capture the nation’s striking stories on circulating coins, and 2018 is no different.
Today The Royal Mint have unveiled the new themes and designs for all the 2018 commemorative coins, and Change Checkers can look forward to some very significant British anniversaries being commemorated.
£5: The Fifth Birthday of HRH Prince George of Cambridge
The reverse design is by Jody Clark and is an image of Saint George slaying a dragon with a spear. The obverse features Jody Clark’s portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
This £5 coin marks the His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge’s 5th birthday
£2: The 200th Anniversary of the Publication of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
The reverse of this coin was designed by Thomas Doherty and features the words ‘Frankenstein’ in an electric gothic font, with ‘Bicentenary of Mary Shelley’s The Modern Prometheus’ around the edge.
This £2 coin pays tribute to author Mary Shelley, who, 200 years ago, created an enduring nightmare through her novel Frankenstein, hailed as the first science fiction novel.
£2: The 100th Anniversary of the First World War Armistice
The reverse was designed by Stephen Raw and features the words ‘The truth untold, the pity of war’, from the Wilfred Owen poem Strange Meeting. The words stand out of a mud-like background in the centre of the £2.
The Armistice of 1918, the first step towards ending the horrors of the First World War, is marked by this £2 coin.
£2: The 100th Anniversary of the Royal Air Force
The reverse features the design by Rhys Morgan of the Badge of the RAF. An eagle flies in front of a circle inscribed with the official motto ‘ Per Ardua Ad Astra’, which is Latin for ‘Through adversity to the stars’, with the Imperial Crown at the top.
This £2 coin commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Royal Air Force and its inspirational role in protecting the skies above Britain.
50p: The 100th Anniversary of the Representation of the People Act 1918
Designed by Stephen Taylor the reverse features five men and women in line to vote, with a woman triumphantly raising a voting card. The words ‘Representation of The People Act’ are written under the date 1918.
This 50p coin celebrates 100 years since the passing of the Representation of the People Act 1918, hailed as a landmark for democracy.
The announcement of the year’s coins is always an exciting moment for Change Checkers, particularly when the anniversaries are as significant as these.
And now we can now start looking forward to finding these new designs in our change throughout the year!
The 2018 Change Checker Commemorative Coin Set
If you can’t wait to find these in your change, be one of the first in the UK to own the set!
Add the 2018 Change Checker Commemorative Coin Set to your collection today >>
When will the 2017 coins be released into circulation?
Change Checkers are often asking me, “when will the 2017 coin designs be released into general circulation?”
The UK 2017 Coin Designs
So, I have compiled a list below showing which coins are now available in your change and those that are still to be released.
The list will be updated as soon as we get confirmation from The Royal Mint that any new coins have entered circulation.
2017 circulation coin release dates
- WWI Aviation £2: A small amount released in September (Duxford Airshow), full release TBC
- Jane Austen £2: A small amount released in July (Winchester Cathedral), full release TBC
- Peter Rabbit 50p: September 2017
- Jeremy Fisher 50p: TBC
- Tom Kitten 50p: December 2017
- Benjamin Bunny 50p: December 2017
- Sir Isaac Newton 50p: June 2017
It’s worth noting that coins are only released into general circulation as and when they are required by the banks.
If you find yourself asking, “When are the 2017 coins released into circulation?”, this is the place to check!
If you find any of the 2017 coins in your change, especially those that are still to be released into circulation, we’d love to hear from you.
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