£2 Coins
New UK £2 coin celebrates the world’s most famous locomotive – Flying Scotsman
A brand new UK £2 coin has been issued celebrating the world’s most famous locomotive – Flying Scotsman.
To commemorate its centenary year, The Royal Mint featured a design of Flying Scotsman in motion on the reverse of the £2, by John Bergdahl.
This coin was issued in the 2023 Commemorative Coin Set. But, this is the first time collectors have been able to get their hands on the individual coin!
Flying Scotsman £2 celebrates poignant anniversary
If you’re lucky enough to have ever travelled on the famous locomotive, you’ll know just how impressive its engineering is – a true symbol of Britain’s great age of steam.
Built in 1923 at Doncaster Works, Flying Scotsman was the first locomotive of the newly formed London and North Eastern Railway (LNER).
Credit: Frances Lyon, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
It joined Sir Nigel Gresley as part of the A1 class – the most powerful locomotives used by the LNER at that time.
It coined its name after the daily 10.00 London to Edinburgh rail service which started in 1862.
The British Empire Exhibition made Flying Scotsman famous when it first appeared in 1924.
Record-breaking steam power
1934 saw Flying Scotsman clock 100pm on a special test run, officially making it the first locomotive in the UK to reach that speed.
This was crucial in the negation of LNER’s directors plans to use diesel power on its high-speed services – proving steam power was just as punchy!
After a restoration project in 2006, Flying Scotsman broke yet another record. It returned as a working museum exhibit making it the oldest mainline working locomotive on Britain’s tracks.
Source: Barry Lewis, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Flying Scotsman is certainly the world’s most famous locomotive. Despite being retired from regular transportation duties, it still attracts hundreds of thousands of fans at every location it visits.
Have you ever seen Flying Scotsman in action? Let us know in the comments below.
Popular Train and Locomotive Coin Issues
The brand new Flying Scotsman £2 follows in some very big footsteps.
2013 London Underground Roundel £2
In 2013, The Royal Mint marked 100 years of the London Underground with two £2 coins.
This was the first to be issued and features the iconic Underground roundel, designed by Edwina Ellis.
The Tube has 11 lines covering 402 km and serving 272 stations, handling up to five million passenger journeys a day.
2013 London Underground Train £2
The second coin in The Royal Mint’s London Underground series shows a design of the iconic Tube, appearing through a tunnel.
The inscription reads ‘1863 – London Underground – 2013’.
Just 1,690,000 of these £2 coins entered circulation, making it somewhat tricky to get your hands on.
2004 Steam Locomotive £2
This £2 coin was issued to commemorate the 200th anniversary since the development of Richard Trevithick’s ‘Pennydarren‘ – the first steam engine locomotive.
The Pennydarren started the growth of railway transportation in the 19th century.
It travelled from Merthyr Tydfil in South Wales to Abercynon on its first journey in 1804, carrying 10 tons of iron, 5 wagons and 70 people on the 9 mile trip.
Celebrate Flying Scotsman’s 100 years of history with this brand new UK £2
Get your hands on the brand new 2023 UK Flying Scotsman for JUST £9.50 (+p&p) by clicking here >>
First individual King Charles III £2 coin featuring Edward Jenner!
The incredible life and legacy of British physician, Edward Jenner, has been celebrated on a brand new UK £2 coin!
Plus, this brand new coin release becomes the first individual King Charles III £2 to be issued in the UK!
Secure yours here for £9.99 (+p&p) >>
Edward Jenner celebrated on new UK £2
Physician to King George, Jenner pioneered the creation of vaccines and created the smallpox vaccine – the world’s first vaccine! His incredible work led to the worldwide eradication of smallpox, a huge feat in Britain’s history.
Credit: John Raphael Smith, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
This UK issue also marks 200 years since his passing, and becomes the second £2 coin in The Royal Mint’s Innovation in Science series.
On the reverse of the coin, Henry Gray’s unique design represents Edward Jenner’s crucial contribution to the world of vaccines. Plus, personally approved by His Majesty the King, Martin Jennings’ King Charles III effigy adorns the obverse.
What’s more, as this is the first individual UK £2 coin to feature King Charles III’s portrait, it’s likely to be increasingly sought-after by collectors…
So don’t miss out on adding the 2023 UK Edward Jenner £2 to your collection! Order yours today in Brilliant Uncirculated quality for £9.99 (+p&p) – click here to order yours >>
Alexander Graham Bell £2
This new release follows the Alexander Graham Bell £2 coin in The Royal Mint’s science series. Initially released in the 2022 Annual Coin Set, this issue saw huge popularity – find out more here >>
And, with a design depicting buttons of a telephone with a message hidden amongst the keypad letters, it’s no surprise that it was voted Change Checker’s favourite 2022 Annual Coin Design!
Stephen Hawking 50p
But the Alexander Graham Bell £2 wasn’t the first UK science coin to capture collectors’ attention. The Stephen Hawking 50p, issued in 2019, saw worldwide interest and SOLD OUT at The Royal Mint within mere hours of release!
And, not only was this popular science 50p rumoured to be a favourite of the Queen’s, but it’s no longer available at The Royal Mint. Find out more on the blog here >>
If you’d like to get your hands on the fascinating coins in the Innovation in Science series, make sure you check out the range on our shop >>
UK 2023 Edward Jenner £2
Not only are we excited to see a brand new Innovation in Science £2 added to the popular series, but the FIRST EVER individually released £2 to feature King Charles III’s effigy!
To add this £2 coin to your collection for just £9.99 (+p&p), simply click here >>
The Royal Mint has just re-issued the FIRST EVER definitive £2 – with a twist!
The iconic UK definitive bi-metallic £2 has just been re-issued by The Royal Mint, celebrating 25 years since it first entered circulation!
Order your 2022 UK 25th Anniversary CERTIFIED BU £2 here >>
This brand new coin follows the design of the first definitive £2, the Technology £2. But eagle-eyed collectors will spot some very special features on this new issue…
25 years of our bi-metallic £2 celebrated with a new lenticular feature
In the centre of the original Technology £2, you’ll see the central lenticular area transform from four separate scrolls into eight intertwined scrolls, representing the Iron Age.
But, instead of eight scrolls, this re-issued bi-metallic £2 reveals the number ‘25’ when tilted – a clever way of celebrating the anniversary!
Last QEII Commemorative Bi-Metallic £2
The 25th anniversary of the £2 coin is confirmed to be the last UK commemorative bi-metallic £2 coin which features an effigy of Her Late Majesty.
This is sure to make this coin even more sought-after, as collectors rush to find the last UK coins with Queen Elizabeth II’s portrait on them.
Special dual-date
As well as the unique lenticular feature, this brand new £2 also features a special dual-date.
Featuring the original 1997 date on the reverse, and the 2022 date on the obverse, this coin becomes one of just a handful of UK coins to have a dual-date on its design.
Special Privy Mark
The obverse not only features Jody Clark’s QEII portrait, but also includes a special privy mark in the form of the central Iron Age circle.
Order your 2022 UK Bi-Metallic Re-issued 25th Anniversary CERTIFIED BU £2 here >>
Sell out history
Plus, this year has already seen £2 coin SELL OUTS. On the day the 150th Anniversary of the FA Cup £2 launched, limited edition specifications SOLD OUT within mere hours!
Make sure you get your hands on the 2022 UK 25th Anniversary CERTIFIED BU £2 by ordering yours here >>
The favourite UK £2 coin – voted by you!
Earlier this year, we asked Change Checkers which bi-metallic £2 design was their favourite. Can you guess which one came out on top? Find out here >>
The Scarcest Bi-metallic £2 coins
Plenty of popular bi-metallic £2 coin designs have gone into circulation since 1997, but the most scarce £2 coin is the 2002 Commonwealth Games NI £2.
With a mintage figure of just 485,500, this coin is particularly hard to spot in your change. Find out more about this coin here >>
£2 ‘errors’
You may also spot £2 ‘errors’ in your change too, although these are very rare. They can occur when striking the bi-metallic coins, which has a very specific process. If you’d like to learn more about error and mis-strike coins, click here >>
The re-issued bi-metallic £2 coin is sure to be a hit with collectors. What is your favourite £2 from the last 25 years?
Order your 2022 UK Bi-Metallic Re-Issued 25th Anniversary CERTIFIED BU £2 here >>