Isle of Man coins
The Isle of Man TT returns! New £2 coin issued to celebrate
The Isle of Man TT races, an annual tradition since 1907, returns this year. Riders and spectators from around the world will travel to the island for what has been nicknamed ‘the most dangerous race in the world’.
It’s become somewhat of a tradition for the Isle of Man to issue coins to commemorate the TT races each year. 2023 is no exception, as this year we’ll see a brand new Isle of Man £2, issued to mark 100 years since the sidecar entered the races.
But the most exciting news for collectors is that it’ll be the FIRST EVER King Charles III TT £2 coin!
The design
In 1923, the first Sidecar was introduced to the TT races. This meant both racer and passenger could take part in the ‘Ultimate Road Race’. The design shows an incredibly detailed depiction of the Sidecar riding through Parliament Square on the Isle of Man.
For the first time ever on an Isle of Man TT coin, the obverse features King Charles III’s effigy. Since the first King Charles III coin was issued last year, we’ve seen demand for new UK coins soar. With every Isle of Man TT coin since 1981 having featured Queen Elizabeth II, this change is sure to catch the eye of collectors wanting to add a highly collectable issue to their collection.
Entering circulation
Previous Isle of Man TT coins have always been popular with both collectors and motor enthusiasts. This is due to their small mintages compared to their UK counterparts and the fact that they sometimes crop up in UK coinage. Although Isle of Man coins aren’t legal tender in the UK, there is a chance you could spot one in your change.
And excitingly, a 15,000 2023 Isle of Man TT £2 coins will be released into circulation on the island. So it’s time to beat the crowds and add this coin to your collection now >>
Numismatic history of the TT races
The first Isle of Man TT coin was a 50p issued in 1981, and a new TT 50p has been released most years since. The TT 50ps, along with other denominations have proved incredibly popular amongst collectors and motoring enthusiasts alike, with some selling for hefty amounts on the secondary market.
Here are a few of our favourite Isle of Man TT coins.
2022
After a 2 year break due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, the TT races returned in 2022 and two new £2 coins were issued to celebrate.
One of the coins featured the iconic TT Grandstand which marks the start and end of the race. The other represented the TT race marshals, most of whom are usually volunteers or motorsports enthusiasts.
A Crown coin was also issued in celebration of the event. It featured the official TT logo in front of the race route map and a chequered flag background.
2019
In 2019, the Isle of Man released two £2 coins marking 112 years since the first TT race in 1907.
The reverse designs features legendary rider, Steve Hislop, racing the Tourist Trophy track.
Steve ‘Hizzy’ Hislop is an 11 time winner of the notorious Tourist Trophy races. His extraordinary racing career has cemented him as a hero of the TT mountain circuit.
2018
These coins were issued in 2018 to celebrate racing legend Mike Hailwood. 2018 marked 60 years since his first TT race and 40 years since his triumphant return.
Just 3,000 of each coin entered circulation on the Isle of Man and we saw unprecedented demand from collectors looking to add the coins to their British Isles collection.
1998
Another famous race that takes place annually on the island, is the Rally Isle of Man.
The Rally Isle of Man – previously known as The Manx Trophy Rally – was first held in 1963 and became a well known event in the British Open Rally Championship.
In 1998, the Isle of Man released the Isle of Man Car Circulation £2 coin featuring three old-style race cars on the track.
1981
The first Isle of Man TT 50p issued in 1981 features famous motorcyclist Joey Dunlop.
Only 5,000 coins of this design were struck. Were you lucky enough to find this in your change on the Isle of Man? Let us know in the comments below!
Do you have any Isle of Man TT races coins in your collection? Let us know in the comments below!
Secure the 2023 Isle of Man TT Races £2 Coin for your collection!
Your 2023 Isle of Man TT £2 Coin has been struck to a Superior Brilliant Uncirculated condition and is carefully encapsulated in official Change Checker packaging.
We only have a small initial allocation, so now’s the time to join the race to secure your 2023 Isle of Man TT £2, whilst stocks last!
NEW Coronation 50ps sing the National Anthem
The dawn of a new monarchy is upon us, and with King Charles III at the helm, history is being written before our very eyes.
And as the Coronation date nears, it’s beginning to hit home how momentous the occasion will be. To celebrate, the Isle of Man have issued The National Anthem Coronation 50p Coin Set. And they’ve been fully approved by the King himself.
Let us guide you through these remarkable 50p coins and how you can secure them for your collection…
All five 50ps have been designed by Tom Meek. They feature famous lines from the National Anthem, alongside two different heraldic beasts on each coin.
These ancestral and heraldic beasts watched over Her Majesty the Queen during her unprecedented reign and will now do the same for King Charles III.
The 10 beasts featured on these new 50ps comprise of ‘The Lion of England’, ‘The White Greyhound of Richmond’, ‘The Yale of Beaufort’, ‘The Red Dragon of Wales’, ‘The White Horse of Hanover’, ‘The White Lion of Mortimer’, ‘The Unicorn of Scotland’, ‘The Griffin of Edward III’, ‘The Black Bull of Clarence’ and ‘The Falcon of the Plantagenets’.
Together, representing strength, purity and power, these beasts are the perfect choice for such a significant new 50p coin collection. Each 50p is struck to a Brilliant Uncirculated quality and features the brand new British Isles portrait of His Majesty by Glyn Davies.
Can I find these 50ps in my change?
If you’re living on the Isle of Man, then yes!
Just 2,500 of each of these new coins will enter circulation on the Isle of Man. When you compare that to the mintage figures for UK coins (our rarest 50p in circulation has a mintage of 210,000), you’ll realise just how few of these coins are actually out there. This is certain to increase the collectability even more.
Isle of Man Coins – worth keeping an eye on?
Isle of Man coins are worth keeping an eye on. They typically have lower mintage figures due to the smaller population of just 84,000. This means that their coins are particularly sought-after amongst collectors.
They have issued some very popular coins in recent years including Peter Pan 50ps and the annual TT £2s to name just a couple that have piqued the interest of collectors.
But this is why they’re worth looking out for. More often than not, their mintage figures are MUCH LOWER than UK coins, making them especially sought-after by collectors.
So, what does this mean for collectors?
Previous Isle of Man issues have been incredibly popular with coin collectors, so demand is already set to be high for these new 50ps.
And, given the significance of this event, I’m sure that 50p collectors will be quick to snap these ones up!
The new Coronation National Anthem 50ps are struck to an unblemished Brilliant Uncirculated finish.
What’s more, your coins will come protectively housed in a specifically designed bespoke presentation pack.
The coins with THREE different dates on them…
Have you heard about the coins with THREE different dates?
- It was approved by Queen Elizabeth II in 2022
- It was re-approved by King Charles III in 2023
- It features ‘1922’ as a date on the obverse
And if these circumstances weren’t unusual enough, the coins releases also missed the 100th anniversary they were commemorating.
These three dates can be seen on the brand new Tutankhamun 50p coins. If you can’t wait to add them to your own collection, click here >>
Otherwise, continue reading to discover how this happened and why the coins are set to become the most collectable coins in years…
How do the coins have three dates?
In 1922, Howard Carter uncovered a step in the Valley of the Kings, Egypt.
That step ended up being the start of a staircase that led to a tomb – the tomb of Tutankhamun.
To mark the anniversary of the incredible discovery, a brand new set of 50p coins were authorised in 2022 by the Isle of Man.
These 50ps then went to Buckingham Palace for approval.
The Queen approved the coins, but that ended up being one of her last official acts before her sad passing on 8 September 2022.
Her death put all new coins on hold.
Mints around the world halted production to observe the mourning period and await palace instructions.
When this came, the Isle of Man was instructed to re-submit an application to the Palace, this time for the approval of His Majesty King Charles III.
The problem? This was late in 2022. Would the Isle of Man get approval from the King before the year of the anniversary passed?
In short, no.
Palace approval came through in January 2023.
The coins features the same reverse, showing 1922 and 2022 commemorating the centenary anniversary.
But the obverse – now featuring the first British Isles King Charles III portrait – carries the year 2023.
So that’s how the coins came to have three dates on it. But what does this mean for it’s collectability?
The power of strange…
Quirks like this are very few and far between… In fact, i’ve never heard of a coin like these.
The closest example came about due to the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020.
When the Olympic Games were postponed from 2020 to 2021 due to the pandemic, it led to a design quirk that created a collecting frenzy for a particular 50p.
Issued in the 2020 Annual Coin Set, the Team GB 50p was issued to mark our athletes participation in the upcoming Tokyo Games.
So, when the games were postponed, so was this coin’s individual issue.
Eventually issued in 2021, this 50p become one of just a handful of coins to feature a dual-date – 2020 on the reverse and 2021 on the obverse.
The coin sold out in a flash.
So considering the popularity of the dual-dated Team GB 50p, you can understand why coins with THREE dates, such as the Tutankhamun 50ps, are a must-have.
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