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Happy New Year and Happy New Coins – 2023 Annual Coin Set JUST ISSUED!
Happy New Year everyone! And with a New Year comes new coins…
The Royal Mint has issued 5 brand new UK commemorative coins in their 2023 Annual Coin Set, celebrating some of the most significant anniversaries of the year.
The FIRST 2023 dated coins featuring King Charles III
Importantly, each of the coins in this set will feature the new King Charles III portrait on the obverse for the first time, welcoming a new era of UK coinage.
King Charles III 75th Birthday £5
The first coin in the set is a brand new £5 coin, issued to celebrate King Charles III’s 75th Birthday. The King will celebrate his milestone birthday on 14th November, this along with his coronation on 6th May is sure to make 2023 a monumental year for His Majesty.
This £5 coin pays tribute to the newly crowned monarch with a heraldic design that’s been approved by His Majesty, along with an edge inscription on the precious metal editions reading ‘RESTORING HARMONY WITH NATURE’.
75 Years of the NHS 50p
To mark the 75th anniversary of the NHS, a brand new UK 50p has been issued. The design features just some of the words that can be used to describe our incredible NHS, such as dedication, hope, respect, compassion and dignity.
What’s more, The Royal Mint will be donating 100% of proceeds from the NHS 50p to NHS Charities, meaning that a portion of your purchase will go directly to providing extra support for staff, patients and NHS communities.
The Windrush Generation 50p
The second 50p in the set marks 75 years since the HMT Empire Windrush arrived at Tilbury Docks. The ship has become symbolic of its passengers and their subsequent generations who have played a pivotal role in shaping the United Kingdom since the Second World War.
Designed by artist Valda Jackson, the 50p depicts 2 of the ship’s passengers set against a backdrop of the Union Jack.
J R R Tolkein £2
The first new £2 coin has been issued to mark 50 years since the death of one of the most famous authors in British history, J R R Tolkein. Best known for creating The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, Tolkein led a popular resurgence of the fantasy genre, leading to him being identified as the ‘father of modern fantasy literature’.
In honour of his intellect and imagination, this £2 features Tolkein’s unique monogram surrounded by an incredibly detailed runic band and the quote ‘NOT ALL THOSE WHO WANDER ARE LOST’ as the edge inscription.
Flying Scotsman £2
The last coin in the set is another £2, this one celebrating 100 years of the world record holding locomotive, the Flying Scotsman. Built in 1923 at Doncaster Works, the Flying Scotsman was the first locomotive to officially reach 100mph, the first to circumnavigate the globe and break the record for the longest non stop run in a steam locomotive.
The coin’s design features the iconic locomotive along with the years 1923-2023 and its LNER number, 4472. The edge inscription also reads ‘LIVE FOR THE JOURNEY’.
Secure the 2023 Annual Set
The 2023 Annual Coin set is available in Silver Proof, Gold Proof, DateStamp, Proof quality and of course, brilliant uncirculated quality.
Securing the 2023 Annual Set is the only way to own these commemorative UK coins before they’re individually released later in the year, so to be one of the first to have these coins in your collection, click here >>
Have you got THESE £2 coins in your collection?
Since its inception 25 years ago, the familiar bi-metallic £2 coin has become the commemorative canvas for some of the most exciting and collectable coin designs of our time. Sit tight for a quick-fire countdown of my top 5 £2 coins and why you should add them to your collection… if you’re lucky enough to find them.
5. The 2016 Great Fire of London £2 Coin
Issued to mark the 350th anniversary of the fire, it was later revealed that its mintage figure was mistakenly listed.
With 3.5 million less than originally thought in circulation, it’s in fact one of the rarest £2 coins in circulation.
4. The 2014 First World War (Lord Kitchener) £2 Coin
Issued to mark the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War, over 5,700,000 of these coins entered circulation, making it an easy design to stumble across.
However, a small number of these coins supposedly entered circulation without the ‘Two Pounds’ denomination anywhere on the coin. In March 2020 one of these so-called ‘error’ coins sold at auction for £500. A hefty return on a £2 coin!
[Image credit: The Sun]
3. The 2012 London Olympics Handover £2 Coin
Undoubtedly one of the greatest national events in my lifetime. London hosting the Olympic Games in 2012 will remain etched in my memory forever.
Unsurprisingly, the event has been immortalised on official UK coinage. The London 2012 Handover £2 coin was issued to mark the handing over of the flag to the next host city, Rio. Just 845,000 of these historic £2 coins entered circulation.
2. The 2022 25th Anniversary £2 Coin
It would be remiss of me not to mention the coin issued to mark this year’s special 25th anniversary. This is a re-issue of the first ever definitive UK £2 coin.
Despite not entering circulation, this could be the last Commemorative UK £2 coin to feature the effigy of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Undoubtedly, this one will hold great importance for collectors for years to come.
1. The 2021 UK H.G. Wells £2 Coin
As a fan of The War of the Worlds, taking the top spot is last year’s HG Wells £2 coin. This was issued to mark the 75th anniversary of his passing.
But there’s another reason.
Eagle-eyed collectors will call this an ‘error’ coin. Spotting an additional leg on the Martian, famously known to be a tripod but controversially depicted on the coin with a fourth leg!
To celebrate this year’s 25th Anniversary of the £2 coin, you can own the UK 2021 HG Wells £2 Coin for JUST £2 (+p&p) when you trial the Best of British £2 Coin Collection. There’s no obligation to continue collecting – cancel at any time.
Click here to claim your HG Wells £2 Coin for JUST £2
Alternatively, if you’d like to collect the latest UK £2 coins issued by The Royal Mint and receive them as soon as they’re released, you can visit our sister brand Change Checker and sign up to the Official £2 Coin Subscription: www.changechecker.org/subscription
Vote for your 2022 Coin of the Year
As 2022 draws to a close, it’s the perfect opportunity to look back at some of the most popular UK and British Isles coins from the past 12 months.
But, I need YOUR HELP deciding which coin will be crowned the 2022 Coin of the Year.
The results are in…
Watch our video to find out which coins made it into the top 5 >>
Missing any of these from your collection?
If you’re missing any of the top 5 coins from your collection, you can still secure them here.