Month: February 2020

2006 Isambard Brunel The Man £2 Proof Coin

In 2006, to celebrate the 200th Anniversary of the Birth of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the Royal Mint released a Limited Issue Brunel £2 Two Pound Proof Coin.
Isambard Brunel’s many achievements are of such importance that his personality and charter tend to be overlooked. It was his determined nature, however, that enabled him to take on so many challenging projects and complete so many of the engineering feats that are still part of Britain’s landscape today.
He was destined to follow in the footsteps of his father, Marc Isambard Brunel, who was a successful engineer in his own right.
After being educated in France the young Brunel returned to England and at the age of sixteen began working with his father, from that time onwards dedicating himself to engineering. Although his career was extremely important to him, Brunel made time for his family. He married Mary Horsley in 1836 and they had three children, but even at home he put his engineering skills to good use.
Having accidentally swallowed a half sovereign when performing a trick for his children, he hurriedly designed an apparatus which would swing his whole body upside down. Astonishingly, the invention was successful and the coin was dislodged.
Brunel‘s letters and journals give a fascinating insight into his character and the remarkable level of control that he exercised over every detail of his work.
Quite apart from the engineering aspects of his designs, he was also closely involved with the aesthetic features, such as choosing the colours of the Great Western Railway’s carriages and selecting the appropriate architectural ornamentation.
He was a driven man and combining this with his practical knowledge and creativity he became one of Britains greatest engineers.
The reverse designed by Robert Elderton is a portrait of the engineer with segments of a wheel and bridge in the background surrounded by links of a heavy chain and the date “2006” and denomination “Two Pounds”, with the edge inscription “1806 – 1859 Isambard Kingdom Brunel Engineer”.
The obverse features Ian Rank Broadley’s mature, reflective portrait of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.
These legal tender coins have been struck to proof quality using specially prepared dies and highly polished blanks.

Florence Nightingale 2 Pound Coin

2010 Florence Nightingale £2

  • Celebrate this historic revolutionary British figure, Florence Nightingale, with the Florence Nightingale 2 Pound coin
  • Coin was minted in honour of the 100th anniversary of her death in 1910
  • Design features the gentle hands of a nurse taking a patient’s pulse
  • Edge inscription has the words, ‘150 Years of Nursing,’ in honor of her book, “Notes on Nursing”
  • A wonderful gift for coin collectors, British history lovers, and nurses 

Introducing the Florence Nightingale 2 Pound Coin

Florence Nightingale was born on 12 May 1820 and named after her birthplace, Florence, Italy. Even though she was born to a wealthy family, she saw her calling in nursing. When the Crimean War started, Florence volunteered along with 38 other nurses she had trained to help the medical staff. Her dedication to her calling eventually gave her the nickname, “The Lady with the Lamp.” Once she returned to Britain, she used her experience during the Crimean War to open a nursing school at St Thomas’ Hospital in London, the start of modern nursing. She also published her findings in her book, “Notes on Nursing: What it is and What it is Not”. The book was published in 1859 and then became a reference book for anyone entering the nursing profession. To commemorate her legacy, the Royal Mint released the Florence Nightingale 2 pound coin in 2010. 

Florence Nightingale 2 Pound Coin 2010

The Florence Nightingale 2 pound coin features a familiar moment with nurses everywhere, that of taking the pulse of a patient. Designed by Gordon Summers, the Royal Mint’s Chief Engraver, the coin also has Florence Nightingale’s name proudly stamped along the top edge of the surface, along with the years of her birth and death. The edge has the inscription of ‘150 Years of Nursing,’ referring to the publication of her book, “Note on Nursing.” 

Charles Dickens 2 Pound Coin

2012 Charles Dickens £2

Celebrate one of Britain’s most famous and finest writers, Charles Dickens
Minted for the 200th birthday of Charles Dickens
Coin features a silhouette profile of the author using titles of his famous works like Great Expectations and David Copperfield
Edge of coin has the inscription “Something Will Turn Up”
A wonderful gift for any coin collector, Dickens lover, or avid reader in your life

Introducing the Charles Dickens 2 Pound Coin
Released in 2012, the Royal Mint announced the Charles Dickens two pound coin in honour of the author’s 200th birthday. Charles Dickens was born on 7 February 1812 in Landport, the second of eight children. His first published work was the short story “A Dinner at Poplar Walk” in Monthly Magazine in December 1833. Still working as a newspaper reporter, Dickens would eventually become a novelist, creating such famous works as Oliver Twist, Nicholas Nickleby, and A Christmas Carol. Dickens was also known by the pseudonym Boz, with two collections of essays attributed to his alter ego.

Charles Dickens 2012 £2
The Charles Dickens 2 pound coin is designed by Matthew Dent and features a silhouette profile of the author created by the titles of his prolific works. Dickens’ year of birth, 1812, and year of death, 1870, is also inscribed around his name. One of his most famous titles, David Copperfield, is memorialized as the coin’s edge inscription. It is the optimistic line said by the character Wilkins Micawber: “something will turn up.”

Matthew Dent described his inspiration for the unique design. ““I wanted the design of the coin to reference both the immense contribution Dickens has made to British literature and his iconic portrait. The visual reference for the portrait was based on a bust of a bearded Dickens which is part of the collection of the Charles Dickens Museum in London. The typography, that takes portrait form, uses several different typefaces; from ones that would have existed during his lifetime, to ones that were designed since his death, symbolic of the enduring popularity of his work.”

Black and White Photo of Charles Dickens

(Caption: Charles Dickens Photo by Jeremiah Gurney)

How Much is the Charles Dickens 2 Pound Coin Worth?
The Charles Dickens coin has a mintage of 8.19 million, making it a fairly common find. However, there has been some excitement over the discovery of three so-called ‘minting errors’. These are not minting errors, only small variations from the production process that make your coin that much more special.

The first ‘error’ is on the obverse side, with the Queen’s portrait. The dots that should follow the entire circumference of the silver centre suddenly end before completing the circuit. This is not necessarily an error because it’s a result of the dies wearing down during the striking process. The second is the reversed position of the edge lettering when the Queen is facing up. This reversal is not an error since sometimes the edge lettering is placed before either side has been struck. The last ‘error’ is with the edge inscription again, with the word ‘WILL’ appearing as ‘WIII’. Again, this is due to the die wearing down.

Even though these variations are common occurrences among all 2-pound coins, that doesn’t mean that eBay auctions will be upfront about it. As of 2019, the highest price for a common circulation coin was £150, simply because it had all three of the ‘errors.’

Other Versions of the Charles Dickens Coin
The Charles Dickens 2 pound coin also comes in Gold Proof (1,000 mintage), Silver Proof (2,600 mintage), Silver Proof Piedfort (mintage 1,200), and Brilliant Uncirculated.

Specifications
Issued 2012
Diameter 28.4mm
Weight 12.0g
Thickness 2.5mm
Composition Outer: Nickel-brass (76% copper, 4% nickel, 20% zinc)
Inner: Cupro-nickel (75% copper, 25% nickel)