The faithful likeness of the Queen on each obverse was created by the sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley who deliberately set out to create ‘a portrait which was clearly recognisable, not over idealised’.
The Definitive £2 Coin – Celebrating Technology
When it was first struck in 1997, the definitive £2 coin was the first bi-colour coin of the United Kingdom. Its reverse design was the result of a public competition and celebrates the march of technological progress in Britain from the Iron Age to the Internet Age.
The Royal Arms
Celebrating Britain's ancient royal heritage and created by Matthew Dent, UK coins represent the shield of the Royal Arms, a powerful symbol of monarchy used on the coinage since the reign of Edward III (1327-1377).
The Mary Rose £2 Coin
In 1509, England was vulnerable to attack from enemy ships. The new King, Henry VIII was determined to build a strong defence and gain supremacy over the seas and began a programme of naval building. The Mary Rose, the first ship to carry cannons able to fire a broadside from watertight gun ports, was the pride the Royal Navy launched 500 years ago in 1511.
The King James Bible £2 Coin
Religious tension was high in 1604 and the King welcomed the opportunity to commission a new translation of the Bible to replace the Geneva Bible then in use and which, in its marginal notes, challenged the King’s divine right as monarch. The new Bible was first published 400 years ago in 1611 and became the standard text in English churches.
Capital Cities £1 - Cardiff & Edinburgh
Unifying Britain’s Capital Cities, celebrating the link and influence each city has on the others. Both designs allow you to view all four of the Coat of Arms whilst highlighting that of the focal city. They were created by Stuart Devlin, the appointed goldsmith and jeweller to Her Majesty the Queen.
WWF 50th Anniversary 50p Coin
In 1961, a group of eminent wildlife experts joined forces to tackle environmental problems across the world. Fifty years on the WWF panda logo is recognised worldwide as a symbol of conservation and sustainable development. Marking the 50th Anniversary of the WWF a specially designed 50p coin features 50 symbols representing the vital work they do.