Posts Tagged ‘Commemorative Coin’
To collect, or not to collect…the Shakespeare £2 coins!
The answer, of course, is to collect!
Seasoned collectors will know that the 2016 Shakespeare £2 coins are some of the most popular coins in circulation. This isn’t only because they celebrate the most influential literary figure in British history, but because of their intriguing designs and interesting mintage figures.
The Shakespeare £2 coins were issued in 2016 to mark the 400th anniversary of the death of playwright, poet and actor, William Shakespeare. Each of the 3 coins honours a different genre of Shakespeare’s works – tragedies, comedies and histories.
Tragedies
The Shakespeare Tragedies £2 is inspired by Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies such as Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet. The design, by John Bergdahl, features a skull from the iconic scene in Hamlet where the Prince speaks to the skull of dead court jester, Yorick, lamenting over the fragility of life and the inevitability of death. Next to the skull is a rose, representing Romeo and Juliet.
The edge inscription even reads ‘WHAT A PIECE OF WORK IS A MAN’ – the start of a well know quote from Hamlet.
Histories
This coin pays tribute to Shakespeare’s historical plays. It carries the edge inscription ‘THE HOLLOW CROWN’ and features a crown and dagger design. The crown represents the seven different kings who were titular characters in Shakespeare’s historical plays, and the sword is a symbols of the battles and wars that took place in many of these stories.
Comedies
The Comedies £2 features a design of a cap and bells with a Jester’s stick, taking inspiration from Shakespeare’s most famous comedy play – A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
It features the edge inscription ‘ALL THE WORLDS A STAGE’, a quote from As You Like It.
Did you know?
When these coins first entered circulation back in 2016, they were stocked in the tills at the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, where Hamlet was being performed at the time.
Mintage Figures
On entering circulation in 2016, mintage figures were released, revealing the Shakespeare Comedies £2 as the rarest of the 3 coins with only 4,355,000 entering circulation. Original figures released were as follows:
- Shakespeare Histories: 4,615,000
- Shakespeare Tragedies: 5,995,000
- Shakespeare Comedies: 4,355,000
However this would change 3 years later in 2019 when the mintages of the Histories £2 and the Tragedies £2 were corrected. Although the Comedies £2 remained the rarest of the 3, it turns out the mintage of the Tragedies £2 was lower than originally stated.
The corrected mintage figures for the 2016 Shakespeare £2 coins are as follows:
- Shakespeare Histories: 5,655,000
- Shakespeare Tragedies: 4,615,000
- Shakespeare Comedies: 4,355,000
As you can see from the £2 mintage figure chart below, both the Comedies and Tragedies are in the top 30 rarest coins in circulation (based solely on mintage figures).
Do you have any Shakespeare £2 coins in your collection? Let us know in the comments!
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
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!
The FIRST 2023 dated King Charles III coins!
To welcome in the near year, the BRAND-NEW Annual Coin Set has just been issued including the FIRST 2023 dated King Charles III coins!
For 70 years our coins have featured the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. So, as we enter a new era of UK coinage, now really is the time to build up your new collection of coins featuring the King.
The issue of the Annual Coin Set is always exciting for collectors, as these coins are curated by The Royal Mint as being some of the most significant issues of the year to come.
Not only do we have our first King Charles III £2 coins, but there are some very poignant anniversaries being celebrated!
Otherwise, continue reading to discover these brand new UK coins...
King Charles III 75th Birthday £5
This year, His Majesty King Charles III celebrates his 75th birthday, his first birthday as our reigning monarch.
£5 coins have always been reserved for key royal anniversaries and significantly, this is the first £5 coin that has been solely dedicated to our now King.
On the reverse design, floral emblems can be seen surrounded the number 75 and His Majesty’s Royal Cypher.
75th Anniversary of the NHS 50p
Also celebrating its 75th birthday this year is our beloved National Health Service.
Our NHS has kept us safe for ¾ of a century and significantly, has saved millions of lives.
This year, The Royal Mint issues its second NHS 50p, following on from the incredibly popular 1998 coin.
Its reverse design features words synonymous with the NHS, including Dedication, Respect, Empathy, and Knowledge.
Windrush Generation 50p
2023 will mark 75 years since the arrival of the Windrush ship, carrying many people from British Commonwealth countries who had been granted British citizenship from the British Nationality Act.
However, the Windrush generations experiences were different than imagined.
To say thank you, and to celebrate their sacrifices and contributions, The Royal Mint has issued a brand new 50p.
Flying Scotsman £2
2023 marks 100 years since the Flying Scotsman entered service.
This is the world’s most famous steam engine and is easily the most recognized.
It was the first locomotive to run on the newly formed London and North-Eastern Railway line.
To celebrate its centenary, The Royal Mint has issued this brand-new £2 coin – one of the first £2 coins to bear King Charles III’s portrait on the obverse.
J. R. R. Tolkien £2
3rd January is official J. R. R. Tolkien Day – the birthday of the Lord of the Rings author.
His works, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, have since gone on to be adapted as some of the highest-grossing films of all time.
To celebrate his birthday, The Royal Mint has issued this brand-new £2 coin.
It features a quote taken from Tolkien’s famed fantasy novel, The Fellowship of the Ring.
We can’t wait to see the individual issue of each of these coins, but of course, we will have to wait several months for each of these to be available.
That’s why the Annual Coin Set is the best way to get ahead and add these coins to your collection.
Add the first 2023 King Charles III Coins to your collection!
Your coins will come protectively encapsulated in Change Checker packaging, reading to slot straight into your Change Checker Album.
What’s more, you’ve also got an ID card detailing each of the coin’s designs.