Rare £2 coins

[HeavyT 7]

Hi, can someone please tell me if the Charles Dickens £2 coin from a few years ago is considered to be rare? Also, what about this year's WW1 anniversary coin with Lord Kitchener?

And finally, is the London to Rio Olympics Handover the rarest £2?

[Paulus 1,942]

Going only by the mintage figures from the Royal Mint web site, the Rio handover is relatively scarce with a mintage of 845,000, while the Dickens is over 8 million.

They haven't posted the figures for this year's coins as yet.

The £2 coins with the lowest published mintages are the 4 2002 Commonwealth Games commemoratives, with the lowest being Ireland at 485,500

I think the 1989 Claim of Rights is rare but some some reason the RM have not posted the figures for the early decimal £2 coins

[copper123 1,352]

The rio coin is one that seems to have been released into circulation in my area, I have found several they are worth keeping in mint grade .

Mary rose £2 coins and the tube £2 coins are actually rarer than you might think.

The rarest are of course the 2002 Commonweath coins as stated above .

Dickens coins are not worth any premium, though they might be if kept in mint grade for a few years.

The spade guinea coins are worth considering as well

[Rob 2,996]

I'm frequently asked for the N. Ireland 2002, but very few others. Claim of Rights coins always sell easily.

[sound 25]

RM should provide the CM figure if you phone them. If not just email them under the " freedom of information" act. If you use that as a header, that should do it.

Mark

[Chris Perkins 223]

Don't forget the 1999 normal reverse £2. They made a huge amount of them, but as it wasn't included in the 1999 BU set it's very difficult to find in top grade.

[copper123 1,352]

Funny enough the norther Ireland £2 coin always seems much much harder to find than its 500, 000 or so mintage suggests - all the others (Scottish ,English , etc), are relatively easy and can be picked up for less than a tenner.

[Jordan0693 3]

What is the guinea £2 coin mintage?

[copper123 1,352]

A bit less than 3 million - sorry but unless its totally unc it's unlikely to get any premium at all even after ten years or so .

you might do better putting it in a building society

[potlings 2]

New here and just saw this topic. I am quite partial to the decimal £2 coins myself. My guilty pleasure I guess. I often read that those released in presentation packs are overpriced but they seem to sell well and are obviously popular. Whether this popularity continues remains to be seen. I think copper123 is right about the Mary Rose, especially the presentation pack, being scarce. Certainly there are none on ebay at the moment which is not what you might expect. I suspect the Bible issue from that year is following suit. Royal Mint sales for the £2 packs from that year seem a little low compared with other years, although still in the 50000s I should add. I hope Mr Perkins is quite right about the 1999 Standing On The Shoulders in top grade. If anyone is dubious get on tinternet and try and buy one. If they are out there they don't seem to be for sale , unlike every other year. I picked up an uncirculated one a while back, the only time I have ever bought a coin thinking I might make money on it one day. Thought it worth a punt for £15 or perhaps I've Iost the plot!

[HeavyT 7]

I assume Potlings wouldn't want to part with the 1999 Technology £2, but does anyone else have this in BU and wishes to sell? Since Chris mentioned it, I've searched pretty much everyone and can't seem to find a high grade version.

[Chris Perkins 223]

I expect the same is probably true for the 2007 Slave trade £2 without the DG initials on it. It's a minor variety of course, and to most a DG coin from a pack will do the trick if you want UNC. The one without DG was the one that circulated in massive numbers, so I bet you can't find one (in UNC).

Same for the large head 1992 20p. At first they were both pretty common, but as the large heads were the ones that circulated, they are rarer in UNC now than the smaller head coins from sets.

[Jordan0693 3]

The handover to rio £2 coin I got like a week ago in circulation with the mary rose, got 5 trinity house £2 and 7 ww2 3 of which are the 'error' versions,

Does anybody know when the navy ww2 comes out, I've bought it in buc pack but still want one to actually touch

[Sylvester 15]

I expect the same is probably true for the 2007 Slave trade £2 without the DG initials on it. It's a minor variety of course, and to most a DG coin from a pack will do the trick if you want UNC. The one without DG was the one that circulated in massive numbers, so I bet you can't find one (in UNC).

Same for the large head 1992 20p. At first they were both pretty common, but as the large heads were the ones that circulated, they are rarer in UNC now than the smaller head coins from sets.

This is where decimal coins really kind of come 'alive' so to speak.

First though (a slight aside) - The main disillusion for collecting decimal for me is basically I don't really see the point. Every year the mint releases large numbers of BU sets (and other commemorative sets where the coins are included in another form), but in a nutshell the 'rare'/'scarce' mintages aren't really very rare or scarce and where's the fun in just buying the mint set? Think 1988 £1 coin, fairly rare in circulation, but I could buy a BU set tomorrow if I wanted to.

But the real 'rare' and 'scarce' decimal coins are the minor varieties that slip into circulation barely noticed and stay there without another thought. Until someone wants to buy an UNC one and can't find it. I want a BU 'dot to dot' 1992 10p and 'Between/between' 1992 10p, but what's the chances of getting one now? Little to none.

I'm also kicking myself a little because I'm not really aware of the new coin varieties, and I had a few 2007 £2 coins pulled from circulation all shiny and new back in 2007, but I paid them all in at the bank two weeks ago!

[DaveG38 385]

The handover to rio £2 coin I got like a week ago in circulation with the mary rose, got 5 trinity house £2 and 7 ww2 3 of which are the 'error' versions,

Does anybody know when the navy ww2 comes out, I've bought it in buc pack but still want one to actually touch

Which year is the WW2 variety and what am I looking for?

[Chris Perkins 223]

It's the 2014 Kitchener coin Dave, but I think the 'error' (that affects the writing above the 'YOU') is possibly more common than the 'normal' one. I think it's just a bit blobby/filled, but I haven't actually seen either properly yet.

[DaveG38 385]

It's the 2014 Kitchener coin Dave, but I think the 'error' (that affects the writing about the 'YOU') is possibly more common than the 'normal' one. I think it's just a bit blobby/filled, but I haven't actually seen either properly yet.

Thanks for that. I'll keep an eye out in the shop where my other half works.

[Chris Perkins 223]

Should have read: above the YOU. Changed it.

[DaveG38 385]

I happen to have 3 of these coins at the moment and each one differs, so there are at least 3 types.

Firstly, there is the correctly struck one, with no 'blobbing' and with even lettering. Secondly, there's the 'blobby' type, which seems to have double struck, but even lettering. The third one is interesting as the two 'U's and the 'N' in the inscription are larger than the other letters and the 'S' is pretty much an '8.' Whether there is also a 'blobby' type with the uneven lettering and the '8' for an 'S' I don't know, but I'll keep an eye out.

[Davethepitch 8]

My collection of £2 coins is ruined as far as coin collectors go as 99% of them have been cleaned just like my £1 coins and I now wish I had left them even though they found look nice. 

[jon 30]

1 hour ago, Davethepitch said:

My collection of £2 coins is ruined as far as coin collectors go as 99% of them have been cleaned just like my £1 coins and I now wish I had left them even though they found look nice. 

Don't beat yourself up over things. We all live and learn.

I have a few spare £2  and 50p's (from circulation) you are welcome to them if you want them for face value.

Drop me a message if you want any.

Jon

Edited June 11, 2016 by jon

[jon 30]

.

[Davethepitch 8]

Hi Jon

I have nearly all the £2 coins except the Magna Carta and HMS Belfas and i am now wary of fakes even these two have fakes.

Thanks Dave

[mrbadexample 985]

1 hour ago, Davethepitch said:

My collection of £2 coins is ruined as far as coin collectors go as 99% of them have been cleaned just like my £1 coins and I now wish I had left them even though they found look nice. 

If you collected them from circulation then all is not lost Dave. Keep your eyes open for replacements then spend the ones you've cleaned. It'll take a little time but hopefully no expense.

[Davethepitch 8]

I really don't like dirty coins but with my collection of £1, £2 and 50 pence coins I did not think it would matter.

I have some Victoria coins but they are as i had them and I will post some pictures so others don't make the same mistake I have.

I have not collected the Olympic 50 pences but I do like to collect 50 pences.