British two pence coin
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- This article describes the British decimal two pence coin, issued from 1971. For the pre-decimal twopence, issued between 1660 and 1798, please see the article on Maundy money.
| Two Pence (United Kingdom) | |
|---|---|
| Value: | 2 pence sterling |
| Mass: | 7.12 g |
| Diameter: | 25.9 mm |
| Thickness: | (Bronze) 1.85 mm (Steel) 2.03 mm |
| Edge: | Plain |
| Composition: | Bronze (1971–1991) Copper-plated steel (1992–Present) |
| Years of Minting: | 1971–present |
| Catalog Number: | — |
| Obverse | |
| Image:British coin 2p (2000)Reverse.jpg | |
| Design: | Queen Elizabeth II |
| Designer: | Arnold Machin (1971–1984) Raphael Maklouf (1985‑1997) Ian Rank-Broadley (1998–) |
| Design Date: | 1994 |
| Reverse | |
| Image:British coin 2p (2000)Obverse.jpg | |
| Design: | Badge of the Prince of Wales. From 1971–1981 the inscription read NEW PENCE. |
| Designer: | Christopher Ironside |
| Design Date: | 1968 |
The British decimal two pence (2p) coin – often pronounced "two pee", or sometimes "tuppence" or even "tupenny bit" – was issued by the Royal Mint on 15 February 1971, the day the British currency was decimalised. In practice it had been available from banks in bags of £1 for some weeks previously. There are currently an estimated 6,421 million 2p coins in circulation.
The coin was initially minted from bronze, but since 1992 it has been minted in copper-plated steel except for a few months in 1998 when bronze was used again. As copper-plated steel is less dense than bronze, post-1992 coins have been slightly thicker. The coin weighs 7.12 grams and has a diameter of 25.9 millimetres.
The reverse of the coin, designed by Christopher Ironside, 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. However, a small number of 1983 "New Pence" coins exist. These coins are rather rare, and are considered collectors' items.
Three different obverses have been used so far – from 1971 to 1984 the head of Queen Elizabeth II by Arnold Machin, from 1985 to 1997 the head by Raphael Maklouf, and since 1998 the head by Ian Rank-Broadley. In all cases, the inscription is ELIZABETH II D.G.REG.F.D. followed by the date.
Because of soaring metal prices in early 2006, by May of that year the pre-1992 (97% copper) coins contained 3p worth of copper each. About 2,551 million such coins remain in circulation. [1] However, The Royal Mint warned that tampering with coinage is illegal in the UK. [2]
| Image:76-916.jpg 1971 coin featuring portrait by Arnold Machin |
| Image:British coin 2p (1997).jpg 1997 coin featuring portrait by Raphael Maklouf |
| Image:British coin 2p (2000).jpg 2000 coin featuring portrait by Ian Rank-Broadley |
| Numismatics Portal |
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British coinage | |
|---|---|
| Current circulation | One penny · Two pence · Five pence · Ten pence · Twenty pence · Fifty pence · One pound · Two pounds |
| Commemorative and bullion | Twenty-five pence · Five pounds · Maundy money · Half sovereign · Sovereign · Britannia |
| Withdrawn (decimal) | Half penny |
| Withdrawn (pre-decimal, selected coins) | Farthing · Halfpenny · Penny · Threepence · Sixpence · One shilling · Two shillings · Half crown · Crown · Guinea |
| See also | Pound sterling · Coins of the pound sterling · Scottish coinage · Coins of Ireland |
