The Rarest Denominations from the £2 to the 1p

In 2026, 600,000 2023 dated and 6,500,000 million 2026 dated King Charles III's 10p coins are entering circulation across the UK. Featuring the capercaillie, the coin’s design was first unveiled in 2023 as one of eight new reverse designs inspired by the flora and fauna of the British Isles and highlighting the King’s passion for conservation. It is also the first time that a 10p coin bearing His Majesty’s portrait will enter circulation.

As the new 10p coins begin to make their way to banks, post offices and cash centres across the UK, take a closer look at the lowest mintage figures for each coin denomination, from the £2 to the 1p. The below coins are the rarest coins minted by The Royal Mint and intended for circulation.

* The number and denomination of coins entering circulation is based on demand. If there is a need for a particular coin, His Majesty’s Treasury will instruct The Royal Mint to strike more. While most of the coins in this list can / could be found in your change, some are yet to officially enter circulation.

£2 – The 2002 Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games £2 Coin

Mintage: 485,500

Issued to mark the 2002 Commonwealth Games, the coin features the Ulster Banner alongside a victorious figure designed by Matthew Bonaccorsi. It was released as part of a set of four £2 coins celebrating each home nation’s team and remains the rarest circulating £2 coin of the bi-metallic era.

£1 – The 2011 Edinburgh City £1 Coin

Mintage: 935,500

Designed by Stuart Devlin, the coin features the Coat of Arms of Edinburgh and was part of a series celebrating the UK's capital cities. Although round £1 coins are no longer legal tender, the Edinburgh £1 was highly sought after while in circulation because of its low mintage and continues to hold strong appeal for collectors today.

50p – The 2023 Atlantic Salmon 50p Coin

Mintage: 200,000

The 50p coin with the lowest mintage is also part of King Charles III's first coin set. Due to factors including river pollution, habitat loss, climate change and overfishing, the UK's wild Atlantic salmon population has declined significantly. With a mintage of just 200,000, the design replaced the long-standing 2009 Kew Gardens 50p as the rarest 50p which had a mintage of 210,000.

20p – The 2023 Puffin Coin 20p Coin

Mintage: 525,000

Another design from King Charles III's first coin set championing and raising awareness of native flora and fauna, the 2023 20p features the unmistakable puffin. Around 10% of the world's puffin population breeds along the UK's coastline, but the species is unfortunately predicted to decline significantly over the next 30 years.

This denomination is not currently in circulation. This coin will only enter circulation if there is demand.

10p – The 2019 Great British Coin Hunt W, Y and Z 10p Coins

Mintage: 63,000

Just 63,000 were made of each of these coins, making them the 10ps with the lowest mintage to date. Part of the Great British Coin Hunt series, each letter of the alphabet was captured across 26 different 10p coins. The letter W represents the World Wide Web, Y features a Yeoman Warder, and Z depicts a zebra crossing.

5p – The 2025 Oak Tree Leaf 5p

Mintage: 19,000,000

With just 19,000,000 issued, the 2025 5p holds the record for the lowest mintage of its type. This new 5p design was introduced in 2023 and features the oak tree leaf design on the reverse (tails), signifying its role as a rich habitat for biodiversity in British woodland areas. Supporting more life than any other native tree species in the UK, the oak tree has a long association with monarchs. The design is part of His Majesty's Definitive collection, inspired by the flora and fauna of the British Isles and highlighting King Charles III's passion for conservation.

2p – The 2008 Christopher Ironside 2p Coin

Mintage: 10,600,000

Featuring the Prince of Wales's feathers designed by Christopher Ironside, this 2p coin has the lowest mintage of its denomination, with 10.6 million produced. In the same year, the reverse design changed to feature a section of Matthew Dent's Royal Shield design. A total of 241,679,000 of Dent's design were struck, making it significantly more common than the Ironside coin.

1p – The 2023 Hazel Dormouse 1p Coin

Mintage: 600,000

A total of 600,000 of these 1p coins were struck in 2023. Like the Capercaillie 10p, it was one of the first definitive coin designs of King Charles III's reign. Representing His Majesty's passion for conservation and the natural world, each coin in the set features an animal or plant native to the UK, many of which are endangered. The hazel dormouse is found mainly in southern England, in counties such as Sussex, Devon and Kent, and its population in the UK has halved since 2007. However, more than 1,000 hazel dormice have been reintroduced across 13 counties to help reverse their ongoing decline.

This denomination is not currently in circulation. This coin will only enter circulation if there is demand.