UK Coin Issues
UK RRS Discovery £2 Coin Celebrates 125 Years of Adventure
The UK 2025 RRS Discovery £2 has been issued to celebrate the world’s first purpose-built scientific research vessel, and the last traditional wooden ship of its kind in the UK.
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Discovering Antarctica
Built in Dundee in 1901, RRS Discovery became a pioneering vessel in Antarctic exploration. Its ground breaking voyages in the early twentieth century not only transformed our understanding of the world’s coldest continent, but also paved the way for modern oceanographic research.
Image Credit: Holger Uwe Schmitt, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Today, Discovery remains a proud symbol of British exploration, permanently housed in a custom-built dock in Dundee, where thousands of visitors each year step aboard to relive its remarkable history.
And now, for the very first time, this icon of exploration is celebrated on a UK coin.
A Coin ‘Designed for Adventure’
Marking both the 125th anniversary of the ship’s creation and the centenary of the Discovery Oceanographic Expedition, the 2025 UK RRS Discovery £2 is the perfect keepsake for enthusiasts of maritime history, exploration, and scientific discovery.
The reverse design by Gary Breeze shows RRS Discovery in her heyday, surrounded by Antarctic hallmarks that reflect her enduring link with exploration and science. Below the ship are two penguins, a whale tail and a polar projection map of Antarctica.
Did you know? The RRS’s first mission was the British National Antarctic Expedition in 1901-1904, carrying Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shackleton. The expedition found Emperor Penguins and was the first expedition to sight an Emperor Penguin rookery and collect their egg.
Continuing a Tradition of Historic Vessels on UK £2 Coins
The RRS Discovery £2 joins a distinguished line-up of UK coins celebrating legendary ships and naval history.
The 2011 Mary Rose £2 was issued to honour Henry VIII’s flagship, which was 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.
To commemorate the centenary of World War I, the First World War Navy £2 was issued in 2015. The coin features a dreadnaught type battleship which is often mistaken for HMS Belfast, and eagle eyed collectors will also know about the ‘flag error’ on these coins. Find out more >>
In 2020, the iconic Mayflower was featured on a UK £2, to mark the 400th anniversary of the ship that carried the Pilgrims to the New World.
And, most recently, the 2025 HMS Belfast £2 which was issued at the end of 2024 pays tribute to the iconic Royal Navy warship that remains as a floating museum on the River Thames.
With such a strong tradition of historic vessels being celebrated on UK coins, the addition of RRS Discovery feels especially fitting.
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Portraits of Queen Elizabeth II £5 Coin Collection
In the last century, the late Queen Elizabeth II became the most frequently depicted monarch in British history. Throughout her reign, five different portraits of Her Majesty appeared on UK coinage, each capturing a unique era in her life and reign.
In the Portraits of Queen Elizabeth II £5 coin series, each effigy is being celebrated on a UK coin once more. All five coins have now been released – so let us take a closer look at each remarkable portrait in turn.
Mary Gillick Portrait
The first coin in the Portraits of Queen Elizabeth II £5 Collection features the very first portrait of Her Majesty by Mary Gillick.
Mary Gillick was the first artist chosen to design a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, and remains the only female designer of a UK coinage effigy to date.
Her portrait debuted in 1953, showing the young Queen uncrowned with a laurel wreath – a classical symbol of victory and honour. This design is especially significant as it was the last portrait to appear on pre-decimal UK coinage before decimalisation took place in 1971.
Add the Mary Gillick Portrait £5 to your collection now >>
Arnold Machin Portrait
The second effigy was created by Arnold Machin, whose design featured on the very first decimal coins issued in the UK. Introduced in 1968, his portrait shows the Queen wearing the ‘Girls of Great Britain and Ireland’ tiara.
Machin’s work became iconic, not only gracing our coinage for nearly two decades, but also appearing on definitive British stamps from 1967 right up until 2023.
Add the Arnold Machin Portrait £5 to your collection now >>
Raphael Maklouf Portrait
In 1985, Israeli-born British sculptor Raphael Maklouf’s design was introduced as the ‘Third Portrait’. It depicts the Queen wearing the royal diadem, as well as jewellery including pearl earrings and necklace – a more regal representation of Her Majesty.
This effigy remained on our coins until 1997, and was also used on Commonwealth issues, making it one of the most widely recognised portraits of the Queen around the world.
Add the Raphael Maklouf Portrait £5 to your collection now >>
Ian Rank-Broadley Portrait
The ‘Fourth Portrait’ by Ian Rank-Broadley arrived in 1998. His bold, highly detailed likeness of the Queen portrayed a greater sense of maturity, reflecting her later years.
Rank-Broadley’s design was also distinctive in that it filled much of the coin’s field, influenced by Benedetto Pistrucci’s 1817 portrait of George III. This effigy remained on UK coinage until 2015.
Add the Ian Rank-Broadley Portrait £5 to your collection now >>
Jody Clark Portrait
In 2015, Jody Clark became the youngest designer to create a UK coinage portrait at just 33 years old. His effigy of Queen Elizabeth II was also the first to be created using computer-aided design software.
Clark’s portrait continues to feature on circulating UK coins today, even alongside new coins depicting King Charles III. It is a lasting reminder of Her Majesty’s extraordinary reign.
Add the Jody Clark Portrait £5 to your collection now >>
An Incredible Reign Celebrated
From the youthful uncrowned portrait by Mary Gillick to the digitally crafted likeness by Jody Clark, the five portraits of Queen Elizabeth II trace the story of a monarch whose reign spanned more than 70 years.
With the release of this new series, collectors now have the chance to collect all five portraits on beautifully designed UK £5 coins.
Continue your Portraits of Queen Elizabeth II £5 Collection
Add the 2026 UK Portraits of Queen Elizabeth II Jody Clark £5 to your collection >>
Or Secure The Entire Set If You Missed It
Secure the Entire 2026 Portraits of a Queen £5 Collection >>
Wands at the ready! Harry Potter The Patronus 50p completes the collection
The 2025 UK Harry Potter The Patronus 50p is the final coin in the Harry Potter Iconic Moments Collection, and what a magical coin to finish with!
If you’ve ever read a Harry Potter book, or seen a Harry Potter film, there’s one spell in particular that you’ll be familiar with – “Expecto Patronum!” With these iconic words, Harry Potter defied darkness and fear, and that moment has now been captured forever on a spellbinding new UK 50p coin.
A fitting finale
This coin is a fitting tribute to one of the most powerful and emotionally charged scenes in J.K. Rowling’s legendary saga when Harry first uses the Patronus Charm, and it’s a perfect way to bring the series to a close.
Created by The Royal Mint designer Bella Biggs in partnership with Warner Bros, the reverse of the coin features the scene from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, where a terrified looking Harry casts the Patronus Charm for the first time. The stunning design captures everything Harry fights for during the saga – light against dark, love against loss and courage against fear.
Completing the collection
If you’ve been following the series, the 2025 UK Harry Potter The Patronus 50p marks the final chapter in an unforgettable coin collection. Each previous release has honoured key milestones from Harry’s years at Hogwarts, such as the Winged Keys 50p, the Black Lake 50p and the Flying Car 50p.
And, not to be forgotten is the 4-coin 50p series featuring recognisable characters or locations from the stories, issued in 2022 and 2023 to celebrate 25 years since the publication of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. The very first coin featured Harry Potter himself, followed by the Hogwarts Express train, Professor Dumbledore and Hogwarts School.
These coins were extremely popular with collectors, so much so that they’re now all no longer available from The Royal Mint!
This is your chance to complete the set with the 2025 UK Harry Potter The Patronus 50p >>
Add some magic to your collection
Whether you have every previous Harry Potter 50p in your collection already, or the Patronus 50p is the first one that’s caught your attention, it’s sure to delight fans of the franchise.
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