Two pence (British decimal coin)

Short description: British decimal coin

Two pence

United Kingdom (UK)

Value| £0.02
Mass| 7.12 g
Diameter| 25.9 mm
Thickness|

* (Bronze) 1.85 mm
* (Steel) 2.03 mm

Edge| Plain
Composition|

* Bronze (1971–1992, 1998)
* Copper-plated steel (1992–present)

Years of minting| 1971-present
Obverse
Design| Queen Elizabeth II
Designer| Jody Clark
Design date| 2015
Reverse
Design| Segment of the Royal Shield
Designer| Matthew Dent
Design date| 2008

The United Kingdom decimal two pence coin (often shortened to 2p in writing and speech) is a denomination of sterling coinage equalling ​2⁄100 of a pound. Since the coin's introduction on 15 February 1971, the year British currency was decimalised, its obverse has featured four profiles of Queen Elizabeth II.[1] In 2008 the design on its reverse changed from the original depiction of a plume of ostrich feathers with a coronet to a segment of the Royal Shield.

The two pence coin was originally minted from bronze, but changed in 1992 to copper-plated steel.

As of March 2014 there were an estimated 6.55 billion 2p coins in circulation corresponding to a value of £131 million.[2]

Two pence coins are legal tender for amounts only up to the sum of 20p when offered in repayment of a debt; however, the coin's legal tender status is not normally relevant for everyday transactions.

## Contents

* 1 Composition
* 2 Design
* 2.1 Reverse
* 2.2 Obverse
* 3 Mintages
* 4 References
* 5 External links

## Composition

From its first minting in 1971 until 1992, two pence coins were made from bronze. In 1992, this was changed to copper-plated steel because of the increasing price of copper used to make bronze.[3] Both the bronze and steel versions were made in 1992 only.

By May 2006 the pre-1992 (97% copper) coins contained 3p worth of copper each.[4] In May 2006, about 2.55 billion such coins remained in circulation,[4] and the Royal Mint warned that tampering with coinage is illegal in the UK.[5] During 2008, the value of copper fell dramatically from these peaks.[6]

## Design

Reverse: 1982–2008

### Reverse

The original reverse of the coin, designed by Christopher Ironside, and used from 1971 to 2008, is the Badge of the Prince of Wales: a plume of ostrich feathers within a coronet, above the German motto ICH DIEN ("I serve"). The numeral "2" is written below the badge, and either NEW PENCE (1971-1981) or TWO PENCE (from 1982) is written above. A small number of 1983 mintage coins exist with the "New Pence" wording. It was originally planned that an alternative version of the 2p would be minted with a design representing Northern Ireland;[7] these plans never came to fruition. The same design was also re-cut in 1993 producing two minor varieties for that year.[8]

In August 2005 the Royal Mint launched a competition to find new reverse designs for all circulating coins apart from the £2 coin.[9] The winner, announced in April 2008, was Matthew Dent, whose designs were gradually introduced into the circulating British coinage from mid-2008.[10] The designs for the 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p and 50p coins depict sections of the Royal Shield that form the whole shield when placed together. The shield in its entirety was featured on the now-obsolete round £1 coin. The re-designed 2p coin depicts the second quarter of the shield, showing the Lion Rampant from the Royal Banner of Scotland, with the words TWO PENCE above.

The beading was removed from both sides of the coin in the 2008 re-design.

In October 2023 the King Charles III two-pence coin was presented; the coin features a red squirrel. [11][12]

### Obverse

To date, five different obverses have been used: four different portraits and the removal of the beaded border in 2008.[8] In all cases, the inscription is ELIZABETH II D.G.REG.F.D. 2013,[8] where 2013 is replaced by the year of minting. In the original design both sides of the coin are encircled by dots, a common feature on coins, known as beading.

Four different portraits of the Queen have been used on the coin:

* As with all new decimal currency, until 1984 the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Arnold Machin appeared on the obverse,[13] in which the Queen wears the 'Girls of Great Britain and Ireland' Tiara.
* Between 1985 and 1997 the portrait by Raphael Maklouf was used,[13] in which the Queen wears the George IV State Diadem. In 1992 the metal used in minting this coin was switched from bronze to copper-plated steel, with a single year of using both alloys in 1998.[3]
* From 1998 to 2015 the portrait by Ian Rank-Broadley was used,[13] again featuring the tiara, with a signature-mark IRB below the portrait.
* As of June 2015, coins bearing the portrait by Jody Clark have been seen in circulation.

## Mintages

Number of two pence coins minted for circulation by year[14] Year  | Number minted  | Composition  | Portrait  | Reverse

|
|
|
|

1971 | 1,454,856,250 | Bronze | Machin | Ironside
1972 | In sets only
1973 | In sets only
1974 | In sets only
1975 | 145,545,000
1976 | 181,379,000
1977 | 109,281,000
1978 | 189,658,000
1979 | 260,200,000
1980 | 408,527,000
1981 | 353,191,000
1982 | In sets only
1983 | In sets only
1984 | In sets only
1985 | 107,113,000 | Maklouf
1986 | 168,967,500
1987 | 218,100,750
1988 | 419,889,000
1989 | 359,226,000
1990 | 204,499,700
1991 | 86,625,250
1992 | 102,247,000
1993 | 235,674,000
1994 | 531,628,000
1995 | 124,482,000
1996 | 296,278,000
1997 | 496,116,000
1998 | 98,676,000 | Rank-Broadley
115,154,000  | Copper-plated steel
1999 | 353,816,000
2000 | 563,659,000
2001 | 551,880,000
2002 | 168,556,000
2003 | 260,225,000
2004 | 356,396,000
2005 | 280,396,000
2006 | 170,637,000
2007 | 254,500,000
2008 | 10,600,000
241,679,000  | Dent
2009 | 150,500,500
2010 | 99,600,000
2011 | 144,300,000
2012 | 67,800,000
2013 | 40,600,000
2014 | 247,600,020
2015 | 85,900,000
2015 | 139,200,000 | Clark
2016 | 185,600,000
2017 | 16,600,000
2018 | 0
2019 | 0
2020 | 0
2021 | 117,700,000
2022 | 0

Mint Sets have been produced since 1982; where mintages on or after that date indicate 'none', there are examples contained within those sets.

## References

1. ↑ Bignell, C P. "Post decimalisation". http://www.bignell.uk.com/post_dec.htm. Retrieved 2006-05-23.
2. ↑ "Mintage Figures". Royal Mint. http://www.royalmint.com/discover/uk-coins/circulation-coin-mintage-figures. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "2p Coin Designs and Specifications | The Royal Mint" (in en-GB). https://www.royalmint.com/discover/uk-coins/coin-design-and-specifications/two-pence-coin/.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Your small fortune: 2p coins that could be worth 3p each", Telegraph, 12 May 2006
5. ↑ "Mint warns against melting coins", BBC News, 12 May 2006
6. ↑ London Metal Exchange copper price graphs
7. ↑ "50 New Penny Piece", Hansard, 20 December 1968
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Clayton, Tony. "Decimal Coins of the UK – Two Pence". http://www.coins-of-the-uk.co.uk/pics/dec2.html. Retrieved 2015-01-18.
9. ↑ "Royal Mint seeks new coin designs", BBC News, 17 August 2005
10. ↑ "Royal Mint unveils new UK coins" , 2 April 2008
11. ↑ BBC
12. ↑ The Royal Mint
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 "1p Coin". British Royal Mint. Archived from the original on 2006-04-27. https://web.archive.org/web/20060427104248/http://www.royalmint.com/RoyalMint/web/site/Corporate/Corp_british_coinage/CoinDesign/1pCoin.asp. Retrieved 2006-05-23.
14. ↑ "2p Two Pence Mintage Figures". https://www.royalmint.com/corporate/circulating-coin/uk-currency/mintages/2-pence/.

## External links

* Royal Mint - 2p coin
* Two Pence, Coin Type from United Kingdom

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