Coin News
Brand New Official UK Remembrance Day Coin issued today…
2018 is an incredibly poignant year as the world commemorates the First World War Armistice Centenary concluding four years of bloody and gruelling combat, the like of which had never been seen before.
On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918, the Allies of WWI and Germany signed an agreement for cessation of hostilities on the Western Front of the war, at last bringing peace after 4 years of conflict.
As a tribute to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, a brand new £5 coin has been issued by The Royal Mint for 2018.
Designed by Royal Mint engraver Laura Clancy, the focal point of this year’s design is a stunning poppy design symbolic of the resilient and determined poppies that grew amidst the chaos in the valley of the Somme.
Like last year’s Remembrance Day coin, selective colour printing has been expertly used to draw attention to the vibrant red poppy design, a truly touching tribute to those lost in the war.
We expect this year’s centenary coin to have a very strong reception, based not only on its stunning design, but also the significance of this 100 year anniversary since Armistice.
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Commemorate the centenary of the end of World War One with the Brand New UK £5 Issue
As we reach this important centenary year, we look back with sombre hearts for those lost in the war, and honour their sacrifice and the sacrifices of all those who risked their lives in pursuit of the Allied victory.
Due to the significance of this new coin release, demand for this historic tribute is anticipated to be high!
Secure your 2018 Remembrance Day CERTIFIED BU £5 Coin today for just £14.99 (plus P&P) and own a lasting tribute to the fallen. We Will Remember Them.
Own yours today, protectively encapsulated and certified as Brilliant Uncirculated quality >>
How rare is my £2 and how much is it worth?
Since the first very bi-metallic £2 coins were released back in 1998, there have been over 40 UK £2 coins in circulation! Many of these coins commemorate key moments in Britain’s history and heritage.
But with so many in circulation, how can you tell which are the ones to look for?
Luckily for you, we’ve done the hard work and compiled a number of resources to help you determine how rare your £2 coin is and how much it might be worth.
Mintages
A key tool for working out how rare your coin might be is our £2 mintage chart. Generally speaking, the lower the mintage, the rarer the coin and the harder it will be to find in circulation.
Here are the most up to date mintage charts for UK £2 coins in circulation, with the UK’s rarest circulation £2, the 2002 Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland sat in top spot with the lowest mintage figures of just 485,500.
Click here to read more about the 50p mintage figures >>
UK £2 mintage figures as of September 2023.
eBay Tracker
Our eBay Tracker, which is updated every 6 months, follows the secondary market selling price of the top 11 UK coins and banknotes. The eBay Tracker takes the last 9 sold prices achieved on eBay and gives you the median price achieved. By taking the median, rather than an average, we avoid skewing created by one or two excessive prices achieved.
Click here to read our latest eBay Tracker update >>
If your coin doesn’t appear on the tracker, you can also use our 6 point guide to help determine the realistic value of your coin.
Scarcity Index
To give you a complete picture of how your coin compares to other £2 coins in circulation, we have combined the mintage information with two other key pieces of information to provide the Change Checker Scarcity Index:
- How many of each design are listed as “collected” by Change Checkers, indicating the relative ease of finding a particular coin.
- The number of times a design has been requested as a swap over the previous 3 months, showing the current level of collector demand.
Here’s our most recent Scarcity Index for £2 coins, with yet again the Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland coming in on top as the most scarce £2. Where does your £2 rank on the Scarcity Index?
Hopefully these tools will enable you to get a more realistic picture of how rare your £2 is and how much it might be worth. Of course, these figures will change in time as the latest £2 coins are released into circulation, so make sure you stay up to date with all our latest coin news and information.
Check out the Change Checker Web App
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
Why Australia’s new currency update is head and shoulders above the rest…
For the first time in 20 years, a brand new portrait of the Queen will be featured on Australia’s currency update.
Since her coronation in 1953, five effigies of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II have appeared on the obverse of Australian coins – creating a numismatic timeline which shows her changing profile over the years.
Previous effigies were designed by Mary Gillick (1953), Arnold Machin (1966), and Raphael Maklouf (1985), however since 1998, Australian coins have used the current effigy by Ian Rank-Broadley, except during 2000, when Royal Australian Mint designer Vladimir Gottwald’s effigy was used on the 50c Royal Visit coin.
The inclusion of an effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse of Australia’s coinage is mandated by Regulation 4(c) of the Currency Regulations made under the Currency Act 1965.
This new effigy by Jody Clark marks the sixth update to the Queen’s portrait and is said to continue the story of her reign and lifetime, although you might notice something a little different about this updated design…
Sixth Coin Effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2019 $1 Uncirculated Coin. Obverse featuring the new design, reverse showing the old. Credit: ramint.gov.au
Whilst continuing to depict Her Majesty facing to the right and wearing the diamond diadem crown, unusually this new image will break from the traditional UK design by also including the Queen’s shoulders and the Victorian coronation necklace.
Mr Clark is responsible for the UK’s most recent portrait of Her Majesty, updated in 2015 and selected by the Royal Mint Advisory Committee.
His designs have also featured on recent releases such as the Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wedding £5 and the Queen’s Beasts £5 coins.
Chief Executive of the Royal Australian Mint, says: “The transition to a new effigy on all Australian coinage will begin in 2019 and continue into 2020. Coins carrying previous portraits of the Queen will remain in circulation.”
Sixth Coin Effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2019 $1 Packaging. Credit: ramint.gov.au
However there is some controversy surrounding this coinage update, as the Australian Republic Movement (ARM) continue their campaign to remove the Queen as head of state in Australia.
What are your thoughts on Australia’s new currency update and do you think the design is head and shoulders above the rest? Let us know in the comments below.
Secure the Australian Sixth Effigy coin for your collection!
Enter the new effigy era with this striking $1 coin. Click here to place your order >>