2009 Two Pound Coins

2012 London Olympics Symbol

Two Pounds Index

Fifty Pence Design Competition
The Royal Mint has announced a public design competition, to create 29 designs for 50 pence coins, for the 30th Olympics Games London 2012.
We guess that the new coin designs will start appearing on coins dated 2009, and will continue through 2010, and 2011, to 2012 itself.
This holds the possibility that the British public will catch coin fever in a similar way to the US States Quarters programme, which ran over 10 years with 5 coins per year making a total of 50 designs.

There may be a two pound coin for 2009 to commemorate London 1908 Olympics Centenary.

2009 Two Pounds Coin - London 1908 Olympics Centenary
The following information currently relates to the 2008 coin.

Since 1986. the Royal Mint has issued two pound coins, often with special commemorative themes. For 2009, there is one for the Centenary of the 1908 London Olympic Games. There is also a "definitive" version in addition.

According to the Royal Mint

In 2009 the Royal Mint is striking a new commemorative £2 coin with a specially designed reverse celebrating the centenary of the 4th Olympiad that was held in London. The £2 coin is displayed in an attractive folder rich in imagery and background information on the Olympic Games of 1908. subject to a strict promotional embargo date of 12 November - The 2009 £2 coin bears a special commemorative design on its reverse -Worldwide issue limit of 100,000 Sets - The commemorative coin is displayed in an informative and fully illustrated presentation folder.

The 4th Olympiad London Anniversary £2 Presentation Folder
The £2 coin for 2009, struck in honour of the centenary of the London Olympic Games of 1908, displays on its reverse the commemorative design specially created by Royal Mint engraver Thomas T Docherty for this celebration. Produced to Brilliant Uncirculated standard, each coin is presented in a beautifully illustrated folder giving a brief history the Olympic Games from ancient Greece to the present day, including stories of some of the athletes of the 1908 Games.

The 4th Olympiad London Anniversary £2 Coin
The first modern Olympic Games took place in Athens in 1896, the vision of Baron Pierre de Coubertin. His dream was to bring together people of the world in a spirit of friendly competition where leading athletes could strive for victory and personal excellence. The Olympic Games have become the greatest sporting event in the world. The first time they were held in London was in 1908 at a purpose-built stadium in White City, London. The centenary of those Games therefore falls in 2009, and a commemorative £2 coin has been produced to celebrate the sporting achievements of the athletes who competed at those Games.

Reverse
The design that graces the reverse is by Royal Mint engraver, Thomas T Docherty, who chose as the central feature of his design a running track, an image that is readily associated with the Olympic Games. The anniversary date of 1908 is positioned within the track, with the words LONDON OLYMPIC CENTENARY encircling the design. The incuse edge inscription, THE 4TH OLYMPIAD LONDON, completes the design.

A Comment from ALLAN WALLACE, formerly Director of Collector Coin for The Royal Mint.
I was fortunate to play a part in the successful bid for the 2012 Olympics. As Director of Collector Coin for the Royal Mint I was asked to be a member of the Bid Team that met with the Olympic Evaluation Committee, in case there were questions about the Royal Mint's Collector Coin Programme proposal. I was as pleased as most people when the games were awarded to London and knew that a real opportunity lay ahead of the Royal Mint to construct a programme that would reach out to collectors at all levels.
I retired from the Royal Mint in March 2006 and at that time no discussions had been held, or proposals made, on the shape of the 2012 Olympic Games Coin programme.
The following comments and suggestions are entirely my own thoughts on what the Royal Mint could be (or should be) considering for a London 2012 Olympic Coin Programme that would stand out as one of the best ever. It would need to reach out to both new and traditional collectors, meet the requirement of both younger and mature collectors alike and uniquely leave a positive legacy on UK circulating coin which would be in existence for decades after the 2012 Olympics has ended.
The most accepted coin for the modern collector is the £5 Crown because the large surface area (38.61mm) allows the design to be shown off to best effect.
The traditional collector coin programme should use the £5 crown in its various alloys (CuNi silver and gold) and its various quality standards (circulation BU and proof). Starting in 2009/2010 an annual issue of three base, three silver and one gold could be considered over a four year period. The Royal Mint will also have an obligation to generate revenue for the London 2012 Olympics and will need a programme which will continue to attract both traditional and new collectors through its lifetime.
What the above programme will not do is reinvigorate an interest in coins and coin collecting amongst the younger generation and/or the general population.

Different Versions
In addition to the gold proof version offered here, the £2 is being produced the following different versions, further details of which are shown here soon.

• Ordinary circulation version, which should be available from banks and post offices during the year.
• Specimen version, issued in Royal Mint folder. This has a superior finish compared with the ordinary coins, so will be preferred by most collectors. the folders are also very attractive and informative, and made interesting and unusual gifts.
• Silver Proof version, with the outer part gold plated.
• Piedfort proof version, similar but made double weight, with a lower mintage.

Gold Proof Version
The gold proof versions will be produced in 22 carat red gold, with the centre "gold sprayed" according to the Royal Mint, before striking.

Obverse
The Fourth Portrait
The fourth of Queen Elizabeth II, designed by Ian Rank Broadley, FRBS, FSNAD, whose initials IRB appear under the head, as used on all British coins from 1998.
The legend (inscription) reads:
ELIZABETH II D G REG FID DEF
TWO POUNDS

Reverse
The reverse shows a simple but pleasing design.
The legend (inscription) reads:
LONDON OLYMPIC CENTENARY
1908
TWO
POUNDS
2009

Edge
THE 4TH OLYMPIAD LONDON

Specifications

Diameter	Weight	Alloy	Gold Content	Issue Limit
28.40	15.97	.9166	0.4707	TBA

Prices & Availability
The prices quoted in the US $ column may be out of date due to currency fluctuations.

Version	Mintage	Available	Issue Price £	Our Price £	Price $
BU Specimen in Folder	100,000	December 2009	£7.95	£7.50	$14.95
Silver Proof	10,000	April?	£TBA	£Ask	$Ask
Piedfort Silver Proof	TBA	TBA	£TBA	£Ask	$Ask
Gold Proof	1,000	April?	£395?	£Ask	$Ask

Notes on Table
Issue Price = Official Royal Mint issue price.
Price £ = Our price in pounds sterling.
Price $ = Our price in US dollars.

2009 Coins

If you want to find the value of a coin you own, please take a look at our page I've Found An Old Coin, What's It Worth?

Please, if you are going to ask us whether the £2 coin you own is worth more than £2, please, please, please read our other pages about them first, and even then the answer is almost certainly no. About 1,000 people every week read one or more of our pages about £2 coins. Hopefully most manage to find what they wanted. A tiny percentage, but still about 20 per week ask us whether a £2 they have found in change / in a drawer / been given is worth more than £2. The answer to 99% of these questions is already on our site. We do not have the time or patience to answer such questions individually.