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Embark on a Voyage with the Captain Cook £2 Coin Collection
In the summer of 1768, British explorer, Captain Cook set sail for the ‘Great South Land’ on his famous Voyage of Discovery.
250 years on, The Royal Mint announced they would be commemorating Captain Cook’s extraordinary travels with a unique coin series to feature three beautifully designed £2 coins.
A treasure map to a secret design
Just like a treasure map, when all three coins in the collection are placed together, Gary Breeze’s design of Cook’s famous ship, HM Bark Endeavour, can be seen in full.
Voyage of Discovery
Cook’s great expeditions to the South Seas had a hidden agenda – carrying secret orders from the British Admiralty who hoped for him to discover ‘a Continent or Land of great extent’ to take possession of ‘in the Name of the King of Great Britain’.
On each epic journey, Cook made spectacular discoveries which expanded the understanding of the world beyond known horizons. Artefacts such as maps, logs, paintings and journals recorded during Cook’s voyages revealed a new and exciting world, transforming the European view of the Pacific Ocean.
Image Credit: Nathaniel Dance-Holland, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
By 1770, his first voyage aboard the Endeavour brought Cook to the southern coast of New South Wales and from there he continued northwards, charting Australia’s eastern coastline. On the 22nd August 1770, Captain Cook fulfilled his mission and claimed the eastern Australian continent for Great Britain.
However, the intrepid voyager did not stop there. He embarked upon two more expeditions in 1772 and 1776 to find an inhabited southern continent in the Antarctic Circle and a passage linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
The Captain Cook £2 Collection
The first Captain Cook £2 was issued in 2018 to mark 250 years since the first leg of his journey. The design, serving as the first piece of the ‘puzzle’, features the stern section of HM Bark Endeavour over a map of Plymouth Sound with Captain Cook’s signature and the dates 1768-2018.
The second coin in the series was issued in 2019 to mark the 250th anniversary of Cook reaching New Zealand in 1869. The reverse design features the midships section of HM Bark Endeavour below a celestial image of the Transit of Venus and the dates 1769-2019.
The final piece of the puzzle design was issued in 2020, featuring the bow section of HM Bark Endeavour in front of a map of Botany Bay and New Zealand and the dates 1770-2020. This coin marked 250 years since Cook discovered the eastern coast of Australia and claimed it for Great Britain, naming it New South Wales.
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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 >>
Discover the Treasure Hidden in your Holiday Change!
Summer is right around the corner and as we start thinking about jetting off on holiday for some fun in the sun, it’s time to organise that all important foreign currency.
But have you ever thought about checking your holiday money for hidden treasures and rare coins?
Having recently returned from a two week holiday in Japan, I’ve got foreign currency on my mind and a few leftover Yen in my pocket!
Despite the growing use of credit and debit cards in Japan, the country still relies largely on cash for daily spending, making coins an indispensable aspect of living – although it did take me some time to feel comfortable handling their 500, 100 and 50 Yen coins! Other denominations of Japanese currency include 20, 10, 5 and 1 Yen coins and 1,000, 5,000 and 10,000 Yen notes, with 10,000 Yen converting to roughly 65 Pounds.
Since returning to England, I’ve begun to wonder what some of these coins might be worth…
The 5 Yen coin is said to be the luckiest of all because of the way the Japanese pronunciation of the coin sounds – “Go-en” –which is the same as the word for destiny in Japanese and the expression for good luck.
When visiting the many Shinto shrines around the country, I noticed people giving 5 Yen coins as donations, and souvenirs of the coin were available to buy, decorated with ribbons and chains through the handy hole in the middle, which can be used to string many coins together.
Lucky 5 Yen coins at a Japanese Shinto shrine. Credit zoomingjapan.com
Roughly converting to a mere 3 Pence, these coins have sold online for much higher than their face value. If dated before 1959 they could be worth about £7 if in uncirculated condition. Coins dated 1957 are scarce and could be worth around £20 in uncirculated condition.
Japan might not be everyone’s typical holiday location, but you too could discover a hidden treasure when you return from your next holiday, with many European, US and Australian coins proving to be very collectable.
Lucy Mackenzie, our Head of Numismatics says, “I would recommend they do their research before they travel to their destination and pay close attention to their change as they could find a rare coin or mis-strike.
“The minting process is never completely exempt from human error and mistakes happen, when it comes to coins these mistakes can often be worth a lot money to sharp-eyed collectors.”
So which holiday destinations do we deem to be the ‘hot spots’ for rare coin hunting?
Currency from around the world.
Europe
Europe is certainly a popular and convenient location for us Brits abroad, but before you think about getting rid of those Euros when you return, keep your eyes peeled for the special edition 2 Euros which have been sold for up to fourteen times face value!
Most sought after editions include the 2011 2 Euro Europa from Greece, the 2008 2 Euro Human Rights coin from Finland, 2005 Austrian state contract coin and the 2007 Monaco 2 Euro featuring Grace Kelly which has become one of the rarest commemorative coins, selling for roughly £1,100.
You might also be lucky enough to discover old tender in Europe on your next holiday. These coins were replaced by the Euro in 1999 but could now achieve an easy profit.
Look out for Irish coins from the 1980s and 90s which have been valued for thousands of pounds at auction. The 1985 copper-coloured 20p and the 1992 10p are also ones to hunt out and have both been sold at $5-$10,0000!
2007 Monaco 2 Euro, one of the rarest commemorative coins. Credit: fleur-de-coin.com
America
For a hop across the pond to America, you could get your hands on rare quarters such as the 2004 Wisconsin extra leaf high quarter, which eBay says is the most sought after of all due to an extra cornstalk leaf on the design being struck by mistake. This small error means that these coins are being sold online for up to £125!
Also look out for the 2005 Minnesote Doubled-die Extra Tree Quarter and the 2000 South Carolina off-centre error quarter to add to your rare coins collection when on your trip stateside.
2004 Wisconsin State Quarter with extra leaf. Credit: usacoinbook.com
Australia
If you’re travelling farther afield, the Australian mule could make you a tasty profit of $1,000 and has been sold for thousands online, with one selling for $2,742 at auction in 2016.
The production error occurred in 2000, resulting in a coin that was thicker than usual, with a double rim on the Queen’s side. If this treasure turns up in your foreign change, it’s definitely worth keeping hold of!
Australian 1 Dollar mule, selling for £1,000. Credit: dailymail.co.uk
I’ve certainly admired the beauty of the coins I’ve found on my travels and always keep hold of a few as mementos, but it’s also worth being extra vigilant and checking your foreign currency to see if you can find any hidden gems!
Have you found any rare coins on your trips abroad? Let us know in the comments below.