Editing Two pound coin

{{short description|British coin denominating two pounds sterling}}
{{About|the circulating £2 coins first issued 1998 (dated 1997) and the commemorative coins released from 1986 to 1996|earlier two pound coins|double sovereign}}
{{Infobox Coin
|  Denomination = Two [[Pound (currency)|pounds]]
|  Country          = United Kingdom
|  Value              = £2
|  Unit                = 
|  Mass                = 12
|  Diameter            = 28.4
|  Thickness           = 2.5
|  Edge                = Milled, with incuse lettering
|  Composition         = Outer ring: Nickel-brass<br/>(76% [[Copper|Cu]], 20% [[Zinc|Zn]] and 4% [[Nickel|Ni]])<br/>Centre: Cupro-nickel<br/>(75% [[Copper|Cu]], 25% [[Nickel|Ni]])
|  Years of Minting    = 1997–present
|  Catalog Number      = 
|  Obverse             = [[File:British_two_pound_coin_2016_obverse.png|150px]]
|  Obverse Design      = [[Elizabeth II|Queen Elizabeth II]]
|  Obverse Designer    = [[Jody Clark]]
|  Obverse Design Date = 2015
|  Reverse             = [[File:£2 coin Britannia reverse.png|150px]]
|  Reverse Design      = [[Britannia]]
|  Reverse Designer    = [[Antony Dufort]]
|  Reverse Design Date = 2015
}}
The [[United Kingdom|British]] '''two pound coin''' ('''£2''') is a denomination of [[Coins of the United Kingdom|sterling coinage]]. Its obverse has featured the profile of [[Queen Elizabeth II]] since the coin’s release. Three different portraits of the Queen have been used, with the current design by [[Jody Clark]] being introduced in 2015. The reverse design features [[Britannia]].

The [[coin]] was released on 15 June 1998 (coins minted 1997) after a review of the United Kingdom's coinage decided that a general-circulation £2 coin was needed.<ref name="two pound coin">[http://www.royalmint.com/discover/uk-coins/coin-design-and-specifications/two-pound-coin Two Pound Coin Designs and Specifications], Royal Mint</ref> The new [[bi-metallic coin]] design replaced a series of commemorative, uni-metallic coins which were issued between 1986 and 1996 to celebrate special occasions. Although legal tender, those earlier coins had never been common in everyday circulation.

As of March 2014 there were an estimated 417 million £2 coins in circulation with an estimated face value of £834 million.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mintage Figures|url=https://www.royalmint.com/currency/uk-currency/mintages/two-pounds/|publisher=Royal Mint|access-date=4 November 2019}}</ref>

Beyond the usual commemorative versions, no standard two pound coins have been minted for general circulation since 2016, although examples have been issued in uncirculated sets at a premium. This was because the concurrent introduction of the new version of the [[One pound (British coin)|one pound coin]] had put enough £2 (and [[Twenty pence (British coin)|20 pence]]) coins back into circulation, as people emptied coin jars primarily for the older one pound coin that was due to be withdrawn.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-48201920|title = Why the Royal Mint stopped making 20p coins|work = BBC News|date = 10 May 2019}}</ref>

£2 coins are [[legal tender]] to any amount when offered in repayment of a debt; however, the coin's legal tender status is not normally relevant for everyday transactions.

==Design==
[[File:British_two_pound_coin_2015_reverse.png|thumb|150px|left|The original reverse design, by Bruce Rushin]]
The original [[Obverse and reverse|reverse]] of the coin, designed by [[Bruce Rushin]], is an abstract design symbolising the history of technological achievement, accompanied by the words <small>TWO POUNDS</small> above, and the year of minting below.
This was the first [[bi-metallic coin]] to be produced for circulation in Britain since the [[Farthing (English coin)#Tin farthings|tin farthing]] with a copper plug produced in 1692, and is the highest-denomination coin in common circulation in the UK. The coin consists of an outer yellow metal nickel-brass ring made from 76% [[copper]], 20% [[zinc]], and 4% [[nickel]], and an inner steel-coloured cupro-nickel disc made from 75% copper, 25% nickel. The coin weighs {{Convert|12|g|oz}} and is {{Convert|2.84|cm|in}} in diameter.

The design itself was first tried out in 1994 when the [[Royal Mint]] produced a short run of demonstration pieces to the new bi-metal standard. These pieces were not for circulation and were simply intended to test the manufacturing process. The coin was technically similar to the version which eventually entered circulation with the Maklouf effigy of [[Elizabeth II|Queen Elizabeth II]] on the obverse and the image of a sailing ship similar to that previously used on the reverse of the [[½d (British pre-decimal coin)|pre-decimal halfpenny]] piece. The inscription on the reverse read <small>ROYAL MINT TRIAL 1994</small> with an edge inscription based on the one pound coin which read <small>DECUS ET TUTAMEN ANNO REGNI XLVI</small>, meaning "An ornament and a safeguard – [in the] 46th year of [her] reign". The 1994 pieces were never legal tender but were eventually released for sale as part of a presentation set in 1998. At the same time in 1994 the Royal Mint produced a mono-metallic trial two-pound coin, with the same ship reverse and inscription, but otherwise similar to the earlier commemorative coins. These were never issued in presentation sets, and so are much scarcer than the bi-metallic version.

Because of technical difficulties, the 1997-dated coins, which bear the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II by [[Raphael Maklouf]], were not released to circulation until June 1998 (the same time as the 1998-dated coins). Coins dated 1998 and later bear the effigy of the Queen by [[Ian Rank-Broadley]]. The Maklouf-effigy coins bear the inscription <small>ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA F D</small><ref group="n" name="inscr"/> on the obverse; the Rank-Broadley coins bear the inscription <small>ELIZABETH II DEI GRA REG FID DEF</small>.<ref group="n" name="inscr"/>

The reverse of the regular-issue coin, designed by Bruce Rushin, bears a concentric design symbolically representing technological development from the [[Iron Age]], through the [[Industrial Revolution]] and the Electronic Age to the [[Internet]], with the inscription <small>TWO POUNDS</small> above the design and the date below. An oddity of the design is that it depicts nineteen interlocking gears. Because it is an odd number of gears, the mechanism could not actually turn. The coin has the edge [[inscription]] <small>STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS</small>, a quote taken from a letter by [[Isaac Newton]] to [[Robert Hooke]], in which he describes how his work was built on the knowledge of those that had gone before him. "If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Newton was Warden and later Master of the Royal Mint.

In February 2015, the Royal Mint announced that a new design featuring [[Britannia]] by [[Antony Dufort]] would replace the previous design.<ref>[http://www.royalmint.com/our-coins/ranges/britannia A symbol of optimism BRITANNIA RETURNS] Royal Mint (www.royalmint.com). Retrieved on 2015-03-01.</ref> The new coins feature the edge inscription <small>QUATUOR MARIA VINDICO</small>, meaning "I claim the four seas", an inscription previously featured on coins bearing the image of Britannia.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.royalmint.com/shop/The_Definitive_2015_United_Kingdom_2_pound_Brilliant_Uncirculated_Coin?tab=detail#productdetails |title= The Definitive 2015 United Kingdom £2 Brilliant Uncirculated Coin |access-date=2015-03-02 |publisher=Royal Mint |date=2015}}</ref><ref name="Snelling1762">{{cite book|author=Thomas Snelling|title=A View of the Silver Coin and Coinage of England, from the Norman Conquest to the Present Time: Consider'd with Regard to Type, Legend, Sorts, Rarity, Weight, Fineness and Value : with Copper Plates|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_12AGAAAAQAAJ|year=1762|publisher=T. Snelling|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_12AGAAAAQAAJ/page/n51 34]}}</ref>

In October 2023 the King Charles III two-pound coin was presented; the coin features the national flowers – a rose for England, a daffodil for Wales, a thistle for Scotland and a shamrock for Northern Ireland.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-67091137|title=King Charles III new coins designed to help children to count|date=October 12, 2023|via=www.bbc.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.royalmint.com/annual-sets/2023/definitives/|title=2023 Definitives &#124; The Royal Mint|website=www.royalmint.com}}</ref> The coin has the edge inscription <small>IN SERVITIO OMNIUM</small> ("In the service of all"), taken from the King's inaugural speech in September 2022.

==Variants==

In addition to the standard designs there have been several variant reverse designs used on the £2 coin to commemorate important events. These are summarised in the table below.

{| class="wikitable"
|+Uni-metallic coins
|-
! Year !! Event !! Design !! Edge inscription !! Designer !! Mintage
|-
| 1986
|| [[1986 Commonwealth Games|XIII Commonwealth Games]]
|| Cross of St Andrew, crown of laurel leaves and Scottish Thistle
|| XIII COMMONWEALTH GAMES SCOTLAND 1986
|| Norman Sillman
|| 8,212,184
|-
| 1989
|| Tercentenary of the [[Bill of Rights 1689|Bill of Rights]]
|| Cypher of 'W&M' (King William and Queen Mary) interlaced surmounting a horizontal Parliamentary Mace and representation of the Royal Crown above and the dates 1689 and 1989 below, all within the inscription 'Tercentenary of the Bill of Rights'
|| None (milled)
|| John Lobban
|| 4,392,825
|-
| 1989
|| Tercentenary of the [[Claim of Right Act 1689|Claim of Right]]
|| Cypher of 'W&M' (King William and Queen Mary) interlaced surmounting a horizontal Parliamentary Mace and representation of the Royal Crown above and the dates 1689 and 1989 below, all within the inscription 'Tercentenary of the Claim of Right'
|| None (milled)
|| John Lobban
|| 381,400
|-
| 1994
|| Tercentenary of the [[Bank of England]]
|| The Bank's Corporate Seal including the Crown and Cypher of King William and Queen Mary and the dates 1694–1994
|| [[Aelius Donatus#Donatus auctus|SIC VOS NON VOBIS]]<br>(Translation > "Thus we do, but not for ourselves")
|| Leslie Durbin
|| 1,443,116
|-
| 1995
|| 50th Anniversary of the end of the [[Second World War]]
|| A stylised representation of a Dove as the symbol of peace
|| 1945 IN PEACE GOODWILL 1995
|| John Mills
|| 4,394,566
|-
| 1995
|| 50th Anniversary of the founding of the [[United Nations]]
|| 50th anniversary symbol of United Nations and a fanning pattern of flags with the inscription NATIONS UNITED FOR PEACE above and the dates '1945–1995' below
|| None (milled)
|| [[Michael Rizzello]]
|| 1,668,575
|-
| 1996
|| [[Euro 96|10th European Football Championship]]
|| A stylised representation of a football, with the date of 1996 centrally placed and encircled by sixteen small rings
|| TENTH EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP
|| John Mills
|| 5,141,350
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+Bi-metallic coins (images: [http://www.royalmint.com/discover/uk-coins/coin-design-and-specifications/two-pound-coin])
! Year !! Event !! Design !! Edge inscription !! Designer !! Mintage
|-
| 1999
|| [[1999 Rugby World Cup]]
|| Design depicts a stadium, on which is superimposed a rugby ball and goalpost. The date '1999' above separated by goal-posts from the value 'TWO POUNDS' below
|| RUGBY WORLD CUP 1999
|| Ron Dutton
|| 4,933,000
|-
| 2001
|| 100th Anniversary of Marconi's [[Guglielmo Marconi#Transatlantic transmissions|1st Wireless Transmission across the Atlantic]]
|| Radio waves decorating centre and outer border while a spark of electricity linking the zeros of the date represents the generation of the signal
|| WIRELESS BRIDGES THE ATLANTIC...MARCONI 1901...
|| Robert Evans
|| 4,558,000
|-
| 2002
||[[2002 Commonwealth Games|XVII Commonwealth Games]] in Manchester (England)
|| Stylised figure of an athlete holding a banner and the inscription XVII Commonwealth Games 2002. This variant contains the flag of England featured beside the athlete
|| SPIRIT OF FRIENDSHIP, MANCHESTER 2002
|| Matthew Bonaccorsi
|| 650,500
|-
| 2002
||[[2002 Commonwealth Games|XVII Commonwealth Games]] in Manchester (Scotland)
|| Stylised figure of an athlete holding a banner and the inscription XVII Commonwealth Games 2002. This variant contains the flag of Scotland featured beside the athlete
|| SPIRIT OF FRIENDSHIP, MANCHESTER 2002
|| Matthew Bonaccorsi
|| 771,750
|-
| 2002
||[[2002 Commonwealth Games|XVII Commonwealth Games]] in Manchester (Wales)
|| Stylised figure of an athlete holding a banner and the inscription XVII Commonwealth Games 2002. This variant contains the flag of Wales featured beside the athlete
|| SPIRIT OF FRIENDSHIP, MANCHESTER 2002
|| Matthew Bonaccorsi
|| 588,500
|-
| 2002
||[[2002 Commonwealth Games|XVII Commonwealth Games]] in Manchester (Northern Ireland)
|| Stylised figure of an athlete holding a banner and the inscription XVII Commonwealth Games 2002. This variant contains the Ulster Banner featured beside the athlete
|| SPIRIT OF FRIENDSHIP, MANCHESTER 2002
|| Matthew Bonaccorsi
|| 485,500
|-
| 2003
|| 50th Anniversary of the [[discovery of DNA]]
|| A representation of the double helical structure of DNA with the words DNA Double Helix above and 'TWO POUNDS' and the dates '1953–2003' below 
|| DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID
|| John Mills
|| 4,299,000
|-
| 2004
|| 200th Anniversary of the first steam locomotive by [[Richard Trevithick]]
|| A representation of a steam locomotive engine with the words 'TWO POUNDS' above and inside a cog wheel, the words R.TREVITHICK 1804 INVENTION INDUSTRY PROGRESS 2004 as a circumscription
|| None (milled with an incuse railway line motif)
|| Robert Lowe 
|| 5,004,500
|-
| 2005
|| 400th anniversary of the [[Gunpowder Plot]]
|| An arrangement of crossiers, maces and swords surrounded by stars and the dates 1605 & 2005. Denomination TWO POUNDS below
|| REMEMBER REMEMBER THE FIFTH OF NOVEMBER
|| Peter Forster
|| 5,140,500
|-
| 2005
|| 60th anniversary of [[Victory in Europe Day]]
|| Design depicts St Paul's Cathedral illuminated by searchlights and the value 'TWO POUNDS' sbove and the dates 1945–2005 below
|| IN VICTORY MAGNANIMITY IN PEACE GOODWILL
|| Bob Elderton
|| 10,191,000
|-
| 2006
|| Bicentennial of the birth of [[Isambard Kingdom Brunel]]
|| Depiction of a section of the roof of Paddington Station with the dates 2006 above and the name BRUNEL to the right and the denomination TWO POUNDS below
|| SO MANY IRONS IN THE FIRE
|| Robert Evans
|| 7,452,250
|-
| 2006
|| Bicentennial of the birth of [[Isambard Kingdom Brunel]]
|| A portrait of Isambard Kingdom Brunel with two of his engineering achievements, encircled by a chain with the denomination TWO POUNDS above and the date 2006 below
|| 1806–1859 ISAMBARD KINGDOM BRUNEL ENGINEER
|| Rod Kelly
|| 7,928,250
|-
| 2007
|| Tercentenary of the [[Acts of Union 1707|Act of Union]] between [[Kingdom of England|England]] and [[Kingdom of Scotland|Scotland]]
|| A design dividing the coin into four quarters, with a rose and a thistle occupying two of the quarters and a portcullis in each of the other two quarters. The whole design is overlaid with a linking jigsaw motif and surrounded by the dates "1707" and "2007", and the denomination "TWO POUNDS" 
|| UNITED INTO ONE KINGDOM
|| Yvonne Holton
|| 7,545,000
|-
| 2007
|| Bicentenary of the [[Slave Trade Act 1807|Abolition of the Slave Trade in the British Empire]]
|| The date "1807" with the "0" depicted as a broken chain link, surrounded by the inscription "AN ACT FOR THE ABOLITION OF THE SLAVE TRADE" and the date "2007"
|| AM I NOT A MAN AND A BROTHER
|| David Gentleman
|| 8,445,000
|-
| 2008
|| Olympic Handover Ceremony
|| A flag showing the five Olympic rings being passed from a hand on the left to a hand on the right. The surrounding inscription reads "BEIJING 2008" left of image and "LONDON 2012" to right. The London 2012 olympic logo is at the bottom of the coin overlapping both metals
|| I CALL UPON THE YOUTH OF THE WORLD
|| The Royal Mint Engraving Team
|| 918,000
|-
| 2008
|| The Centenary of the [[1908 Summer Olympics|London Olympic Games of 1908]]
|| Four lanes of a running track extend from bottom left and converge into distance towards top right. The lane numbers show "1908" across the lanes with "TWO POUNDS 2008" written along the lanes. The inscription "LONDON OLYMPIC CENTENARY" is shown around the upper right half of the coin
|| THE 4TH OLYMPIAD LONDON
|| Thomas T Docherty
|| 910,000
|-
| 2009
|| 250th Anniversary of the birth of [[Robert Burns]]
|| A handwriting style of font reads [sic] "we'll tak a cup a' kindness yet, for auld lang syne". The inscription "1759 ROBERT BURNS 1796" above, "TWO POUNDS" below
|| SHOULD AULD ACQUAINTANCE BE FORGOT
|| The Royal Mint Engraving Team
|| 3,253,000
|-
| 2009
|| 200th Anniversary of [[Charles Darwin]]'s birth
|| A profile portrait of Charles Darwin on left, facing right, stares into the face of a chimpanzee on right, facing left. The inscription "1809 . DARWIN . 2009" above, "TWO POUNDS" below
|| ON THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES 1859
|| Suzie Zamit
|| 3,903,000
|-
| 2010
|| 100th Anniversary of the death of [[Florence Nightingale]]
|| The design portrays a pulse being taken, whilst the background symbolises the rays of light from the lamp that Florence Nightingale was known for carrying during her rounds to tend to the wounded troops in the [[Crimean War]]. Surrounded by the inscription "1820 – FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE – 1910" with "TWO POUNDS" below
|| 150 YEARS OF NURSING
|| Gordon Summers 
|| 6,175,000
|-
| 2011
|| 400th Anniversary of the [[King James Bible]]
|| The design features typeset in a replica of the black letter typeface used in the first edition: the reversed, raised text of the printing block on the left and the recessed text of the printed word on the right, taking the form of the quote, ‘In the beginning was the Word’ (John 1:1).’<ref name="King James">[http://www.royalmint.com/shop/the_2011_uk_2_pound_king_james_bible_silver_piedfort_coin King James £2 coin issued], Royal Mint</ref> Inscription "KING JAMES BIBLE" above, "1611–2011" below
|| THE AUTHORISED VERSION
|| Paul Stafford & Benjamin Wright
|| 975,000
|-
| 2011
|| 500th Anniversary of the maiden voyage of the ''[[Mary Rose]]''
|| The Mary Rose sailing right, based upon a 1546 pictorial survey of Henry VIII's navy. Inscription "THE MARY ROSE" above, "TWO POUNDS" below
|| YOUR NOBLEST SHIPPE 1511
|| John Bergdahl
|| 1,040,000
|-
| 2012
|| 200th Anniversary of the birth of [[Charles Dickens]]
|| A profile outline of Charles Dickens, facing left, created from the titles of Dickens’ famous works. Inscription "1812 CHARLES DICKENS 1870" to left
|| SOMETHING WILL TURN UP
|| Matthew Dent
|| 8,190,000
|-
| 2012
|| The London 2012 Handover to Rio
|| The design depicts the moment of a baton handover in a relay race. The hand holding the baton descends from top right, above a sweeping UK flag which twists to become the flag of Brazil below the hand reaching up from bottom left to take the baton.<ref name="Rio handover">[http://www.royalmint.com/aboutus/news/london-2012-handover-to-rio London 2012 Handover to Rio – the final London 2012 coin], Royal Mint</ref> Inscription "LONDON 2012" top left, "RIO 2016" bottom right. The London 2012 olympic logo is at the very top of the coin
|| I CALL UPON THE YOUTH OF THE WORLD
|| Jonathan Olliffe
|| 845,000
|-
| 2013
|| [[London Underground]] 150th Anniversary – The Train
|| The front of a tube train ([[London Underground 1967 Stock|1967 stock]]) fills the cupro-nickel centre of the coin as if approaching out of a tunnel formed by the surrounding nickel-brass outer ring of the coin. Inscription "1863 · LONDON UNDERGROUND · 2013" above
|| Linear representation of the Tube map
|| Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby
|| 1,690,000
|-
| 2013
|| [[London Underground]] 150th Anniversary – The Roundel
|| A representation of the London Underground logo with "1863" above and "2013" below
|| MIND THE GAP
|| Edwina Ellis
|| 1,560,000
|-
| 2013
|| The 350th Anniversary of the [[Guinea (British coin)|Guinea]]
|| A recreation of the design on what became known as the "spade guinea": a shield with the arms of King George III. Surrounding inscription "ANNIVERSARY OF THE GOLDEN GUINEA 2013"
|| WHAT IS A GUINEA? ‘TIS A SPLENDID THING ([[Stephen Kemble]] quotation)
|| [[Anthony Smith (sculptor)|Anthony Smith ARBS]]
|| 2,990,000
|-
| 2014
|| 100th Anniversary of the Outbreak of the [[World War I|First World War]]
|| A representation of the famous recruitment poster featuring [[Herbert Kitchener|Lord Kitchener]] with the legend "YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU". Surrounding inscription "THE FIRST WORLD WAR 1914–1918" with "2014" below
|| THE LAMPS ARE GOING OUT ALL OVER EUROPE
|| John Bergdahl<ref name=2014coins>{{cite news|title=The Royal Mint announces coins for 2014|url=http://www.royalmint.com/aboutus/news/2014-coins-revealed|access-date=21 January 2014|newspaper=[[Royal Mint]]|date=6 January 2014}}</ref> 
|| 5,720,000
|-
| 2014
|| 500th Anniversary of [[Trinity House]]
|| The beacon of a lighthouse shining out to left and right. Surrounding inscription "1514 TRINITY HOUSE 2014" with "TWO POUNDS" below.
|| SERVING THE MARINER
|| Joe Whitlock-Blundell and David Eccles<ref name=2014coins/>
|| 3,705,000
|-
|2015
|| 800th Anniversary of [[Magna Carta]]<ref>[http://www.royalmint.com/shop/u/uk15mcbu 800th Anniversary of the Magna Carta 2015 UK £2 BU Coin] Royal Mint (www.royalmint.com). Retrieved on 2014-11-13.</ref>
|| King John is signing the Charter witnessed by a bishop and baron. Surrounding inscription "MAGNA CARTA" with "1215 - 2015" below
|| FOUNDATION OF LIBERTY
|| John Bergdahl
|| 1,495,000
|-
|2015
|| The [[Royal Navy]]<ref>[http://www.royalmint.com/shop/u/uk15w1bu The Royal Navy 2015 UK £2 Brilliant Uncirculated Coin] Royal Mint (www.royalmint.com). Retrieved on 2014-11-13.</ref>
|| [[Iron Duke-class battleship|''Iron Duke''-class battleship]] in profile with a lone seaplane on the starboard side and sea birds on the port side. Surrounding inscription "THE FIRST WORLD WAR 1914 - 1918" with "2015" below 
|| THE SURE SHIELD OF BRITAIN
|| David Rowlands
|| 650,000
|-
|2016
|| [[William Shakespeare]]<ref name=3coin>[http://www.royalmint.com/shop/The_Shakespeare_2016_UK_2_pound_three_coin The Shakespeare 2016 UK £2 Three-Coin BU Set] Royal Mint (www.royalmint.com). Retrieved on 2015-11-03.</ref>
|| [[Shakespearean comedy|Comedy]] - Jester's hat and stick. Surrounding inscription "WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE" with "2016" below
|| [[All the world's a stage|ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE]]
|| John Bergdahl
|| 4,355,000
|-
|2016
|| William Shakespeare<ref name=3coin/>
|| [[Shakespearean history|History]] - crown with a dagger through the middle of the crown. Surrounding inscription "WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE" with "2016" below
|| THE HOLLOW CROWN (quote from ''[[Richard II (play)|Richard II]]'')
|| John Bergdahl
|| 5,655,000
|-
|2016
|| William Shakespeare<ref name=3coin/>
|| [[Shakespearean tragedy|Tragedy]] - skull with a rose. Surrounding inscription "WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE" with "2016" below
|| [[What a piece of work is a man|WHAT A PIECE OF WORK IS A MAN]]
|| John Bergdahl
|| 4,615,000
|-
|2016
|| [[British Army|The Army]]<ref>[http://www.royalmint.com/shop/The_Army_2016_UK_2_pound_Brilliant_Uncirculated_Coin The Army 2016 UK £2 Brilliant Uncirculated Coin] Royal Mint (www.royalmint.com). Retrieved on 2015-11-03.</ref>
|| Profile outline of three First World War soldiers. Surrounding inscription "THE FIRST WORLD WAR 1914-1918" with "2016" below
|| FOR KING AND COUNTRY
|| John Bergdahl
|| 9,550,000
|-
|2016
|| The [[Great Fire of London]]<ref>[http://www.royalmint.com/shop/The_350th_Anniversary_of_the_Great_Fire_of_London_2016_UK_2_pound_Brilliant_Uncirculated_Coin Great Fire of London 2016 UK £2 Brilliant Uncirculated Coin] Royal Mint (www.royalmint.com). Retrieved on 2015-11-03.</ref>
|| London burning, with boats on the River [[Thames]] in the foreground. Surrounding inscription "1666 THE GREAT FIRE OF LONDON 2016" with "TWO POUNDS" below
|| THE WHOLE CITY IN DREADFUL FLAMES
|| Aaron West
|| 1,625,000
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+Non-circulating designs
! Year !! Event !! Design !! Edge inscription !! Designer !! Mintage
|-
|2017
|| Jane Austen 
|| Silhouette of [[Jane Austen]]'s head, overlaid by her signature.
|| THERE IS NO DOING WITHOUT MONEY (quote from ''[[Northanger Abbey]]'')
|| Dominique Evans
|| 0
|-
|2017
|| First World War Aviation
|| [[Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8]], carrying a pilot and his observer, taking reconnaissance photography over the [[Battle of Arras (1917)|Battle of Arras]].<ref>[https://coinweek.com/world-coins/royal-mint-marks-birth-royal-flying-corps-wwi-aviation-2017-uk-2-coin/] Coin Week (www.coinweek.com). Retrieved on 2018-03-16.</ref>
|| THE SKY RAINED HEROES
|| Dan Flashman
|| 0
|-
|2018
|| 100th Anniversary of the [[Royal Air Force]]
|| [[Badge of the Royal Air Force]], surrounded by the inscription "THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ROYAL AIR FORCE", with "1918-2018" below
|| PER ARDUA AD ASTRA (also present on reverse as part of badge)
|| Rhys Morgan
|| 0
|-
|2018
|| The 100th Anniversary of the [[Armistice of 11 November 1918|First World War Armistice]]
|| Inscription: "THE TRUTH UNTOLD THE PITY OF WAR", with surrounding inscription "THE FIRST WORLD WAR ARMISTICE 1918"
|| [[Wilfred Owen|WILFRED OWEN]] KILLED IN ACTION 4 NOV 1918
| Stephen Raw
|| 0
|-
|2018
|250th Anniversary of Captain Cook's Epic Voyage
|The stern of HM Bark ''Endeavour'', Captain Cook’s famous ship, leaving Plymouth with the ensign visible alongside 250 to mark the anniversary with Cook's  signature below.
|OCEANI INVESTIGATOR ACERRIMVS ("a keen explorer of the ocean")
|Gary Breeze
|0
|- 
|2018
|| The 200th Anniversary of the publication of ''[[Frankenstein]]''
||
|| A SPARK OF BEING
|| Thomas Docherty
|| 0
|-
|2019
|| 260th Anniversary of [[Wedgwood]]
|| Wedgwood vase. Surrounding inscription "WEDGWOOD" with "1759-2019" below
|| EVERYTHING GIVES WAY TO EXPERIMENT
|| Wedgewood Design Team
|| 0
|-
|2019
|| 350th Anniversary of the last diary entry of [[Samuel Pepys]]
|| Hand holding quill pen over sheet of paper with Pepys' signature and the date "MAY 31 1669". Surrounding inscription "SAMUEL PEPYS DIARIST" with "1669-2019" below
|| THE GOOD GOD PREPARE ME
|| Gary Breeze
|| 0
|-
|2019
|| 75th Anniversary of the [[D-Day Landings]]
|| Strategic Arrows pointing to the Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword beaches of [[Normandy]], with 2019 below
|| THE LONGEST DAY
|| Stephen Taylor
|| 0
|-
|2019
|| 250th Anniversary of Captain [[James Cook]]'s Time in [[Tahiti]]
|| The middle half of HM Bark Endeavour, with inscription "1769 - 2019 CAPTAIN JAMES COOK" surrounding
|| OCEANI INVESTIGATOR ACERRIMVS
|| Gary Breeze
|| 0
|-
|2020
|| 400th Anniversary of the voyage of [[the Mayflower|the ''Mayflower'']]
|| The Titular Mayflower, with "MAYFLOWER 1620 - 2020" inscribed around
|| UNDERTAKEN FOR THE GLORY OF GOD
|| Chris Costello
|| 0
|-
|2020
|| 100th Anniversary of the Murder Mysteries of [[Agatha Christie]]
|| Puzzle Pieces, with "100 YEARS OF MYSTERY 1920 - 2020" inscribed around
|| LITTLE GREY CELLS
|| David Lawrence
|| 0
|-
|2020
|| 75th Anniversary of [[VE Day]]
|| A crowd celebrating, "VICTORY" in the background and "1945 - 2020 VICTORY IN EUROPE DAY" inscribed around
|| JUST TRIUMPH AND PROUD SORROW
|| Dominique Evans
|| 0
|-
|2020
|| The 250th Anniversary of Captain [[James Cook]]'s [[First voyage of James Cook|Voyage of Discovery]]
|| The front half of [[HMS Endeavour|HM Bark ''Endeavour'']], with inscription "CAPTAIN JAMES COOK 1770 - 2020" surrounding
|| OCEANI INVESTIGATOR ACERRIMVS
|| Gary Breeze
|| 0
|-
|2021
|| 75th Anniversary of the death of [[H. G. Wells]]
|| Depictions of the [[Invisible Man]] and a Martian, surrounded by clock numerals, "2021 H.G.WELLS" inscribed below
|| GOOD BOOKS ARE THE WAREHOUSES OF IDEAS
|| Christ Costello
|| 0
|-
|2021
|| 250th Anniversary of the birth of [[Sir Walter Scott]]
|| Depiction of Sir Walter Scott, with "250th ANNIVERSARY OF HIS BIRTH" inscribed above, "SIR WALTER SCOTT NOVELIST, HISTORIAN, POET" inscribed in the middle ring and 2021 inscribed below
|| THE WILL TO DO, THE SOUL TO DARE
|| Stephen Raw
|| 0
|-
|2022
|| The 100th Anniversary of the death of [[Alexander Graham Bell]]
|| Depiction of the buttons of a telephone, with "PIONEER OF THE TELEPHONE 1847 1922" split across each button
|| INNOVATION IN SCIENCE BELL
|| Henry Gray
|| 0
|-
|2022
|| Celebrating the life and legacy of Dame [[Vera Lynn]]
|| Vera Lynn, with "DAME VERA LYNN 1917 - 2020" inscribed to the left
|| WE'LL MEET AGAIN
|| The Royal Mint Engraving Team
|| 0
|-
|2022
|| Celebrating 150 Years of the [[FA Cup]]
|| The 2014 FA Cup, with "CELEBRATING 150 YEARS OF THE FA CUP" inscribed around it
|| FOOTBALL's GREATEST CUP COMPETITION
|| Matt Dent and Christian Davies
|| 0
|-
|2022
|| 25 Years of the £2 Coin
|| The definitive version of the £2 coin from 1997, but with the number "25" in the central hologram
|| STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS
|| Bruce Rushin
|| 0
|-
|2023
|| 50th Anniversary of the death of [[J. R. R. Tolkien]]
|| Monogram of J.R.R. Tolkien
|| NOT ALL THOSE WHO WANDER ARE LOST
|| David Lawrence
|| 0
|-
|2023
|| 200th Anniversary of death of [[Edward Jenner]]
|| A crowd of miniature people surrounding a smallpox virus
|| INNOVATION IN SCIENCE JENNER
|| Henry Gray
|| 0
|-
|2023
|| Centenary of the ''[[LNER Class A3 4472 Flying Scotsman|Flying Scotsman]]''
|| The Flying Scotsman steaming, "LNER 4472 1923 - 2023" inscribed below
|| LIVE FOR THE JOURNEY
|| John Bergdahl
|| 0
|-
|2023
|| [[Ada Lovelace]]
|| [[Punchcard]] and text, "a discover of the hidden realities of nature," in reference to how Lovelace described herself in a letter she wrote to her mother in 1841.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}
|| INNOVATION IN SCIENCE LOVELACE
|| Osborne Ross
|| 0
|-
|2024
|| Celebrating 200 Years of the [[National Gallery (UK)|National Gallery]]
|| The front of the National Gallery
|| MAIORVM GLORIA POSTERIS LVMEN EST ("The glory of our ancestors is a light to our posterity")
|| Edwina Ellis
|| 0
|-
|2024
|| 150th Anniversary of Sir [[Winston Churchill]]'s Birth
|| A Young Winston Churchill, with the dates 1874 - 1965 flanking him 
|| PAVE THE WAY FOR PEACE AND FREEDOM
|| Natasha Seaward
|| 0
|}

== "Inverted effigy" coins ==
In 2015, a small number of £2 coins entered circulation that featured the Queen’s head rotated clockwise by approximately 150 degrees. The Royal Mint stated that the misalignment of the Queen’s effigy was "almost certainly the result of one of the dies working loose and rotating during the striking process". Change Checker, a coin dealing website, suggests that the rotated die may have affected as few as around 3,250 coins.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.changechecker.org/2017/01/17/inverted-effigy-2-coin/|title=Just Discovered: Rare "Inverted Effigy" £2 Coin|date=17 January 2017|website=Change Checker|access-date=16 September 2019}}</ref>

==Mintages==
{| class="toccolours" style="width:100%; background:inherit"
! Uni-metallic coin
|-
|{{Div col|colwidth=25em}}
* 1986 ~ 8,212,184 (Commonwealth Games - Edinburgh)
* 1989 ~ 4,392,825 (Bill of Rights - 1689–1989)
* 1989 ~   381,400 (Claim of Right - 1689-1989 Scotland)
* 1989 ~ 4,777,891 (in all versions, including proofs)
* 1994 ~ 1,443,116 (Tercentenary of the Bank of England)
* 1995 ~ 4,394,566 (50th anniversary of the end of the Second World War)
* 1995 ~ 1,668,575 (50th anniversary of founding of the United Nations)
* 1996 ~ 5,141,350 (10th European Football Championship) <ref name="circulation2">{{cite web |url=http://www.royalmint.com/discover/uk-coins/circulation-coin-mintage-figures/commemorative-two-pound-1986-to-96 |title=Commemorative £2 coins struck to circulating standard, 1986-96 |access-date=2012-11-24 |publisher=Royal Mint |date=2008}}</ref>
{{colend}}
|}

{| class="toccolours" style="width:100%; background:inherit"
! Bi-metallic coin – total
|-
|{{Div col|colwidth=25em}}
* 1997 ~ 13,734,625
* 1998 ~ 91,110,375
* 1999 ~ 33,719,000
* 2000 ~ 25,770,000
* 2001 ~ 34,984,750
* 2002 ~ 13,024,750
* 2003 ~ 17,531,250
* 2004 ~ 11,981,500
* 2005 ~ 3,837,250
* 2006 ~ 16,715,000
* 2007 ~ 10,270,000
* 2008 ~ 30,107,000
* 2009 ~ 8,775,000
* 2010 ~ 6,890,000 
* 2011 ~ 24,375,030
* 2012 ~  3,900,000 
* 2013 ~ 15,860,250 
* 2014 ~ 18,200,000
* 2015 ~ 35,360,058
* 2015 ~  650,000 (Britannia)
* 2016 ~  2,925,000 (Britannia)
* 2017 ~  0 (zero) (Britannia or Shield)<ref name="circulation">[http://www.royalmint.com/discover/uk-coins/circulation-coin-mintage-figures/two-pounds-to-20p-issued United Kingdom decimal coins issued into general circulation], Royal Mint. Retrieved 2014-05-08.</ref>
* 2018 ~ 0 (zero)
* 2019 ~ 0 (zero)
* 2020 ~ 0 (zero)
* 2021 ~ 6,045,000 (Britannia)
* 2022 ~ 4,030,000 (Britannia)
* 2023 ~  0 (National flowers)
* 2024 ~  0 (National flowers)

{{colend}}
|}
{| class="toccolours" style="width:100%; background:inherit"
! Bi-metallic coin – commemoratives issued into circulation<ref name="circulation"/>
|-
|{{Div col|colwidth=25em}}
* 1999 ~  4,933,000 (Rugby World Cup)
* 2001 ~  4,558,000 (Marconi)
* 2002 ~    771,750 (Commonwealth Games – [[Scotland]])
* 2002 ~    588,500 (Commonwealth Games – [[Wales]])
* 2002 ~    485,500 (Commonwealth Games – [[Northern Ireland]])
* 2002 ~    650,500 (Commonwealth Games – [[England]])
* 2003 ~  4,299,000 (DNA)
* 2004 ~  5,004,500 (Trevithick)
* 2005 ~ 10,191,000 (World War Two)
* 2005 ~  5,140,500 (Gunpowder Plot)
* 2006 ~  7,928,250 (Brunel – portrait)
* 2006 ~  7,452,250 (Brunel – achievements)
* 2007 ~  7,545,000 (Act of Union)
* 2007 ~  8,445,000 (Abolition of Slave Trade)
* 2008 ~    910,000 (1908 Olympic Games)
* 2008 ~    918,000 (Beijing Olympic Games Handover)
* 2009 ~  3,903,000 (Charles Darwin)
* 2009 ~  3,253,000 (Robert Burns)
* 2010 ~  6,175,000 (Florence Nightingale)
* 2011 ~    975,000 (King James Bible)
* 2011 ~  1,040,000 (The Mary Rose)
* 2012 ~    845,000 (Rio Olympic Games Handover)
* 2012 ~  8,190,000 (Charles Dickens – 200th Anniversary)
* 2013 ~  1,690,000 (London Underground – train)
* 2013 ~  1,560,000 (London Underground – roundel)
* 2013 ~  2,990,000 (Anniversary of the Guinea)
* 2014 ~  5,720,000 (Anniversary of the Outbreak of the First World War)
* 2014 ~  3,705,000 (500th Anniversary of Trinity House)
* 2015 ~  1,495,000 (800th Anniversary of Magna Carta)
* 2015 ~    650,000 (The Royal Navy)
* 2016 ~  4,355,000 (William Shakespeare – Comedy)
* 2016 ~  5,655,000 (William Shakespeare – History)
* 2016 ~  4,615,000 (William Shakespeare – Tragedy)
* 2016 ~  9,550,000 (First World War Army)
* 2016 ~  1,625,000 (The Great Fire of London)


{{colend}}
|}

==See also==
{{Portal|Money|Numismatics|United Kingdom}}
* [[Coins of the pound sterling]]
* [[Double sovereign]]
* [[Banknotes of the pound sterling]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=n|

<ref group="n" name="inscr">For a details of inscriptions, see [[British coinage]]</ref>

}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.royalmint.com/discover/uk-coins/coin-design-and-specifications/two-pound-coin/ Royal Mint – £2 coin]
{{British coinage}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Two Pounds (British Decimal Coin)}}
[[Category:1986 establishments in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Bi-metallic coins]]
[[Category:Coins of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Two-base-unit coins]]