Posts Tagged ‘definitive coin’
Last Coins of the Queen feature Special Privy Mark
2022 is likely a year no collector will forget.
We’ve celebrated a Platinum Jubilee, mourned the loss of our Queen and welcomed a new monarch to the throne.
And, as ever, these extraordinary moments are retold through our UK coins.
Today, to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II’s incredible life and reign, an official UK Memorial coin set has been released. The coins feature the eight definitive coins from 2022, alongside the new Memorial 50p and £5 with the King’s portrait.
Last UK Coins of Queen Elizabeth II
Importantly, the definitive coins in this set will be the last in the UK to feature Her Majesty’s portrait.
What’s more, each definitive obverse design also features a special privy mark to show the Queen’s year of birth and year of passing – a never-before-seen feature for these coins, which is bound to add to their collectability.
Since Her Majesty’s passing, we’ve seen incredible demand for QE II coins. Both historic and new issues. Recent releases are continuously selling out at The Royal Mint and older issues are becoming increasingly scarce as the nation rushes to secure keepsakes and lasting tributes for the Queen.
And this set features the very last coins of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, meaning rapid sell outs of the limited precious metal versions are absolutely on the cards…
The good news for collectors is that the Brilliant Uncirculated version of the set is unlimited.
However, The Royal Mint have announced that stock will only be available until the 31st December 2022, so the sales window is incredibly limited for those of you wanting to secure this set.
Source: Joel Rouse/ Ministry of Defence Derivative: nagualdesign, OGL 3, via Wikimedia Commons
Appearing on our coins throughout her outstanding reign as our longest serving monarch, I’m sure you’ll agree that this set really is a touching tribute to Her Majesty. It’s a piece of history to treasure for generations to come.
Let us know in the comments below if you like the privy mark on the last Queen Elizabeth II coins.
Own the Last Coins of Her Majesty, with special privy mark, in Brilliant Uncirculated quality
You can own the 2022 Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Coin Set in Brilliant Uncirculated quality here >>
But, due to the limited sales window, you’ll need to act fast to make sure you don’t miss out.
The Royal Mint has just re-issued the FIRST EVER definitive £2 – with a twist!
The iconic UK definitive bi-metallic £2 has just been re-issued by The Royal Mint, celebrating 25 years since it first entered circulation!
Order your 2022 UK 25th Anniversary CERTIFIED BU £2 here >>
This brand new coin follows the design of the first definitive £2, the Technology £2. But eagle-eyed collectors will spot some very special features on this new issue…
25 years of our bi-metallic £2 celebrated with a new lenticular feature
In the centre of the original Technology £2, you’ll see the central lenticular area transform from four separate scrolls into eight intertwined scrolls, representing the Iron Age.
But, instead of eight scrolls, this re-issued bi-metallic £2 reveals the number ‘25’ when tilted – a clever way of celebrating the anniversary!
Last QEII Commemorative Bi-Metallic £2
The 25th anniversary of the £2 coin is confirmed to be the last UK commemorative bi-metallic £2 coin which features an effigy of Her Late Majesty.
This is sure to make this coin even more sought-after, as collectors rush to find the last UK coins with Queen Elizabeth II’s portrait on them.
Special dual-date
As well as the unique lenticular feature, this brand new £2 also features a special dual-date.
Featuring the original 1997 date on the reverse, and the 2022 date on the obverse, this coin becomes one of just a handful of UK coins to have a dual-date on its design.
Special Privy Mark
The obverse not only features Jody Clark’s QEII portrait, but also includes a special privy mark in the form of the central Iron Age circle.
Order your 2022 UK Bi-Metallic Re-issued 25th Anniversary CERTIFIED BU £2 here >>
Sell out history
Plus, this year has already seen £2 coin SELL OUTS. On the day the 150th Anniversary of the FA Cup £2 launched, limited edition specifications SOLD OUT within mere hours!
Make sure you get your hands on the 2022 UK 25th Anniversary CERTIFIED BU £2 by ordering yours here >>
The favourite UK £2 coin – voted by you!
Earlier this year, we asked Change Checkers which bi-metallic £2 design was their favourite. Can you guess which one came out on top? Find out here >>
The Scarcest Bi-metallic £2 coins
Plenty of popular bi-metallic £2 coin designs have gone into circulation since 1997, but the most scarce £2 coin is the 2002 Commonwealth Games NI £2.
With a mintage figure of just 485,500, this coin is particularly hard to spot in your change. Find out more about this coin here >>
£2 ‘errors’
You may also spot £2 ‘errors’ in your change too, although these are very rare. They can occur when striking the bi-metallic coins, which has a very specific process. If you’d like to learn more about error and mis-strike coins, click here >>
The re-issued bi-metallic £2 coin is sure to be a hit with collectors. What is your favourite £2 from the last 25 years?
Order your 2022 UK Bi-Metallic Re-Issued 25th Anniversary CERTIFIED BU £2 here >>
The 50p that’s even rarer than the 2017 Isaac Newton coin…
In 2008, Matthew Dent redesigned the UK’s definitive coins following a public competition which saw over 4,000 designs submitted.
His Royal Shield of Arms design was chosen by The Royal Mint Advisory Committee to feature on the reverse of all UK coins, and when each coin from the penny to the 50p is placed together, the completed design reveals the full shield. The lower section of the shield can be seen on the reverse design of the UK 50p.
Definitive 50ps are usually issued into circulation every year and generally go unnoticed as they are so readily available and mintage figures are often in the high millions.
Since 2008 this coin has been issued into circulation six times, but which Royal Shield 50p is the rarest?
The Royal Mint only issues coins based on demand, and therefore the coin wasn’t issued for circulation in 2009, 2010, 2011 or 2016. In the years that the coin was issued, the mintage figures vary from just 1,800,000 all the way up to 49,001,000.
By far the rarest 50p shield is the 2017 coin, which is actually the second rarest 50p coin in circulation!
The Kew Gardens is known as the UK’s rarest circulation 50p, with a mintage of just 210,000 and the next rarest commemorative 50p is the 2017 Sir Isaac Newton, with a mintage of 1,801,500. However, when you include definitive coins into the mix, the 2017 Royal Shield actually knocks the Sir Isaac Newton off second spot, with 1,500 less coins issued.
The most common Royal Shield 50p is the 2014 coin, with a mintage of 49,001,000, although this is not the most common 50p in circulation…
That title goes to the old definitive, featuring Christopher Ironside’s Britannia design. This design was first issued in 1969 as the first seven sided coin, issued to replace the 10 shilling note.
New Pence Britannia 50p. Issued from 1969 to 1981
In 1997 the coin was made smaller and lighter and the old coins ceased to be legal tender in the UK. Therefore, a whopping 456,364,100 Britannia 50p coins were issued that year to replace the old design, making the 1997 Britannia 50p Britain’s most common 50p.
Are the definitive 50p coins worth collecting?
As collectors, we often focus on the rarer commemorative designs when it comes to building our collections, but I think the chart above just goes to show why we shouldn’t overlook the rarity of the definitive coins.
You’re very likely to come across the Royal Shield 50p in your change (in fact, there might be one in your pocket right now!) so make sure you keep your eyes peeled to see if you can find the rare 2017 coin for your collection!
Own the UK’s rarest Royal Shield 50p within the 2017 Royal Mint Pack!
This set is no longer available from The Royal Mint, but today you can own all 13 of the United Kingdom’s 2017 annual coins in the Royal Mint Brilliant Uncirculated pack, including the UK’s rarest Royal Shield 50p.