Isle of Man Coins
The coin re-issued for Isle of Man TT fans…
For two weeks of the year since 1907, the small island of the Isle of Man plays host to the most dangerous motor racing event in the world…
The prestigious Isle of Man TT takes place on public roads spanning 37.73 miles around the island, with over 200 sharp twists and bends and rising up to 1,300ft off sea-level!
Michael Dunlop at St Ninian’s Crossroads. Credit: Official IoM TT website, www.iomtt.com
Last year, to celebrate the 110th anniversary of the TT Races, a £5 was issued depicting the famous Senior TT Trophy to celebrate the renowned event.
And the popularity of the Isle of Man TT races has resulted in a very special release for 2018…
The coin has been re-issued and re-dated for 2018. The brand new coin features the same design as last year, depicting the esteemed senior TT racing trophy, the pinnacle of road racing awards. The trophy itself features Mercury, the Winged God of the Messengers from Roman Mythology standing atop a winged wheel.
As collectors know, a re-struck coin does not happen very often so we expect this to be snapped up quickly.
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Special 2018 striking date IOM TT Races Senior Trophy £5
The ultimate addition to any coin collection. The coin features the IOM TT Senior Trophy with a special 2018 striking date – a rare occurrence and one that will make this coin hugely collectable to not only TT Race fans but sharp-eyed collectors.
Secure your 2018 Isle of Man TT Senior Trophy £5 coin today >>>
What makes the 2017 Isle of Man £5 so interesting?
Last year, the coins of the Isle of Man made the headlines. Not only did all their circulation coins have a total redesign, the first in 13 years, they also announced that they would continue to issue ’round pound’ coins rather than opting to use the paper £1 note like both Jersey and Guernsey did.
The coins feature a new effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, created by designer and sculptor Jody Clark, which will also be used on all coins from Crown dependencies and Commonwealth countries. The outer description includes the Queen’s full title, country of issue and year of issue.
New effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
The iconic design of the 2017 Isle of Man £5 coin features the Triskelion (three armoured legs) which is arguably the most known symbol of the island and is included in both the coat of arms and the flag of the Isle of Man.
But while this fitting Triskelion design features on the reverse and the new effigy of Her Majesty the Queen features on the obverse, that’s not what makes this coin so interesting…
You may or may not know this about the Isle of Man…
The Isle of Man is in fact the only Crown dependency country that circulates their £5 coins, meaning you could find this coin in your change… and spend it!
But if you’re ever lucky enough to find one in your change I’m sure you won’t want to spend it, as it’s certain to have one of the lowest mintages for any British Isles circulation coin.
A further difference between this coin and the traditional UK commemorative £5 is the size…
Isle of Man £5 compared to UK £5
The IOM £5 coin is just over 6mm smaller in size at 32mm (UK £5s measure 38.61mm) and weighs in at just 11.7g (compared to 28.28g for a UK £5) so is reasonably light to carry around in your pocket or purse.
So tell us… would you spend this £5 coin if you found it on the Isle of Man?
Own the ONLY British Isles circulating £5 coin
The Isle of Man is the only part of the British Isles to use a genuinely circulating £5 Coin. Become one of the few people to own this coin by securing one for your collection today >>
Relive a history of racing action with the Isle of Man TT coins!
This year, two brand new Isle of Man £2 coins were released for the special anniversary year of the Isle of Man TT, commemorating racing legend Mike Hailwood’s 60th year since his first TT race and 40th year since his triumphant return.
The coins have proved incredibly popular among collectors and motoring enthusiasts alike, which is a common theme from the previous TT coins, some of which have sold for £500 on eBay!
So all this has got us interested in the history of the TT coins and some of the most popular ones you could find in your change.
Where it all began
The Tourist Trophy first started in 1907 and has been celebrated with coin issues since 1981 when the first Isle of Man TT 50p was released.
This coin featured famous motorcyclist Joey Dunlop within the traditional sprigs framing the coin.
Only 5,000 coins of this design were struck and it can be found selling on eBay well above face value.
1981 Joey Dunlop Isle of Man TT 50p. Credit: eBay
Not just 50ps
Since then, there have been 50ps released to mark the event on most years, as well as a selection of crowns and a special commemorative £5 coin in 2017 to commemorate 110 years of the TT.
This coin featured the Roman God, Mercury, the Winged God of the Messengers. It can also be found for more than face value on eBay, with some sellers including the official Isle of Man TT packaging.
2017 £5 Isle of Man TT in official packaging. Credit: eBay
Isle of Man TT Crowns
Design
The common theme among each coin design is of course the iconic motorcycle, synonymous with the TT event. A range of famous bikes have featured on the coins, including Suzuki, Honda, Yamaha and this year the Ducati.
The 50p coins are framed by the traditional sprigs and some feature the official TT logo, whilst other simply have the words ‘TT’ inscribed upon them.
Which design is your favourite?
Isle of Man TT 50ps
Popular TT coins
Isle of Man 50p coins are not legal tender in the UK. They are only released into circulation on the Isle of Man, and often with a low mintage figure, meaning they very rarely turn up in UK change.
This, along with the fact that they are themed around a hugely popular event, means that the coins often prove to be very sought-after.
Mintage figures for these coins are not easily found, meaning it is very difficult to determine which is the ‘rarest’, however it seems that one of the most popular designs is the 1997 Philip McCallen Isle Of Man TT 50p, currently listed on eBay by one seller at £745!
Of course, the actual value of this coin very much depends on its condition and how much an individual seller is willing to pay.
1997 Isle of Man TT 50p listed for £745. Credit: eBay
It’s fair to say that the Isle of Man TT coins have been, and continue to be very collectable.
The unmistakable motorbike design causes these coins to stand out from any other coin and has created a link between the world of coin collecting and the world of motorbike racing, as avid collectors and racing fanatics alike enjoy finding these striking coins.
Secure your 2018 Isle of Man TT £2 coins today!
To celebrate this special anniversary year, two new Isle of Man TT £2 coins have been released by The Royal Mint, depicting Mike Hailwood’s famous Ducati.
Order yours today >>