Celebrate Welsh sporting pride on the international stage with the 2002 UK XVII Commonwealth Games £2 coin for Wales, issued to mark the Games held in Manchester. This commemorative coin honours a record-breaking festival of sport, when athletes from across the Commonwealth gathered in England, with Wales proudly represented among the home nations.

The reverse design by Matthew Bonaccorsi captures the energy and emotion of competition. A dynamic athlete is shown in motion, holding a banner high in a gesture of celebration and victory. The upper part of the banner is divided into fine parallel lines, suggesting the lanes of a track or swimming pool and reflecting the variety of sports contested during the Games. To one side of the design sits the denomination, with the inscription “XVII COMMONWEALTH GAMES” completing the theme. A small cameo of the Welsh flag, with its distinctive red dragon, identifies this version as the coin struck for Wales, distinguishing it from the England, Scotland and Northern Ireland issues in the series.

Around the milled edge runs the inscription “SPIRIT·OF·FRIENDSHIP·MANCHESTER·2002”, a phrase that perfectly captures the aims of the Commonwealth Games and links the coin directly to its host city. This edge lettering adds an extra point of interest for those who enjoy the characteristic features of the bi‑metallic £2 coin.

The obverse features the fourth definitive portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Ian Rank-Broadley, with the Queen wearing the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara. The Latin legend “ELIZABETH · II · DEI · GRA · REG · FID · DEF ·” surrounds the effigy in the familiar style of modern UK coinage.

Struck in the standard bi‑metallic specification, the coin has a copper‑nickel centre within a nickel‑brass outer ring. It weighs 12 grams, measures 28.4 millimetres in diameter and is 2.5 millimetres thick, with a milled, inscribed edge. Issued in 2002 as one of four £2 coins for the Manchester Commonwealth Games, the Wales version is an appealing choice for collectors interested in sporting themes, modern commemorative issues and coins that celebrate the role of the home nations on the global sporting stage.

*Image is representative of the coin you will receive 

**Struck for general circulation and subsequently acquired by The Royal Mint from the secondary market.