United Kingdom (UK) | |
Value | £0.02 |
---|---|
Mass | 7.12 g |
Diameter | 25.9 mm |
Thickness | |
Edge | Plain |
Composition |
|
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 British 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.[ citation needed ]
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]
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]
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:
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 | |||
Copper-plated steel | ||||
1993 | 235,674,000 | |||
1994 | 531,628,000 | |||
1995 | 124,482,000 | |||
1996 | 296,278,000 | |||
1997 | 496,116,000 | |||
1998 | 98,676,000 | Bronze | 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.
The standard circulating coinage of the United Kingdom, British Crown Dependencies and British Overseas Territories is denominated in pennies and pounds sterling, and ranges in value from one penny sterling to two pounds. Since decimalisation, on 15 February 1971, the pound has been divided into 100 (new) pence. Before decimalisation, twelve pence made a shilling, and twenty shillings made a pound.
The British decimal twenty pence coin is a denomination of sterling coinage worth 1⁄5 of a pound. Like the 50p coin, it is an equilateral curve heptagon. Its obverse has featured the profile of Queen Elizabeth II since the coin's introduction on 9 June 1982. Four different portraits of the Queen have been used; the latest design by Jody Clark was introduced in 2015. The second and current reverse, featuring a segment of the Royal Shield, was introduced in 2008.
The British decimal fifty pence coin is a denomination of sterling coinage worth 1⁄2 of one pound. Its obverse features the profile of the current Monarch since the coin's introduction in 1969. As of October 2022, five different royal portraits have been used.
The British decimal five pence coin is a denomination of sterling coinage worth 5⁄100 of a pound. Its obverse has featured the profile of Queen Elizabeth II since the coin’s introduction on 23 April 1968, replacing the shilling in preparation for decimalisation in 1971. It remained the same size as the one shilling coin, which also remained legal tender, until a smaller version was introduced in June 1990 with the older coins being withdrawn on 31 December 1990. Four different portraits of the Queen have been used, with the latest design by Jody Clark being introduced in 2015. The second and current reverse, featuring a segment of the Royal Shield, was introduced in 2008.
The British decimal ten pence coin is a denomination of sterling coinage worth 1⁄10 of a pound. Its obverse has featured the profile of Queen Elizabeth II since the coin's introduction in 1968, to replace the florin coin in preparation for decimalisation in 1971. It remained the same size as the florin coin until a smaller version was introduced 30 September 1992, with the older coins being withdrawn on 30 June 1993. Four different portraits of the Queen have been used on the coin; the latest design by Jody Clark was introduced in 2015. The second and current reverse, featuring a segment of the Royal Shield, was introduced in 2008.
The British decimal one penny (1p) coin is a unit of currency and denomination of sterling coinage worth 1⁄100 of one pound. Its obverse featured the profile of Queen Elizabeth II since the coin's introduction on 15 February 1971, the day British currency was decimalised until her death on 8 September 2022. A new portrait featuring King Charles III was introduced on 30 September 2022, designed by Martin Jennings. Four different portraits of the Queen were used on the obverse; the last design by Jody Clark was introduced in 2015. The second and current reverse, designed by Matthew Dent, features a segment of the Royal Shield and was introduced in 2008. The penny is the lowest value coin ever to circulate in the United Kingdom.
The British decimal halfpenny coin was a denomination of sterling coinage introduced in February 1971, at the time of decimalisation, and was worth 1⁄200 of one pound. It was ignored in banking transactions, which were carried out in units of 1p.
The British two pound coin (£2) is a denomination of sterling coinage. Its obverse has featured the profile of Queen Elizabeth II since the coin’s introduction. 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 British one pound (£1) coin is a denomination of sterling coinage. Its obverse bears the Latin engraving ELIZABETH II D G REG F D meaning, 'Elizabeth II, by the grace of God, Queen, Defender of the Faith'. It has featured the profile of Queen Elizabeth II since the original coin's introduction on 21 April 1983. Four different portraits of the Queen have been used, with the latest design by Jody Clark being introduced in 2015. The design on the reverse side of the current, 12-sided coin features four emblems to represent each of the nations of the United Kingdom — the English rose, the leek for Wales, the Scottish thistle, and the shamrock for Northern Ireland, also two or three oak leaves — emerging from a single 5-branched stem within a crown. In May 2022 the Royal Mint announced that the Kenyan-born artist Michael Armitage is designing a new £1 coin which will be issued in 2023 and will celebrate the "history of the UK in the 21st century".
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The British threepence piece, usually simply known as a threepence, thruppence, or thruppenny bit, was a denomination of sterling coinage worth 1⁄80 of one pound or 1⁄4 of one shilling. It was used in the United Kingdom, and earlier in Great Britain and England. Similar denominations were later used throughout the British Empire and Commonwealth countries, notably in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
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