Two Pence, Coin Type from United Kingdom - detailed information

Two Pence, Coin Type from United Kingdom (issued 1971 - )
Coin TypeTwo Pence

The British decimal two pence (2p) coin - often pronounced two pee - is a unit of currency equalling two one-hundredths of a pound sterling. Its obverse has featured the profile of Queen Elizabeth II since the coin’s introduction in 1971, the year British currency was decimalised. Four different portraits of the Queen have been used on the coin, with the latest design by Jody Clark being introduced in 2015. The second and current reverse, featuring a segment of the Royal Shield, was introduced in 2008.

One penny and two pence coins are legal tender only up to the sum of 20p; this means that it is permissible to refuse payment of sums greater than this amount in 1p and 2p coins in order to settle a debt.

The two pence coin was originally minted from bronze, but since 1992 it has been minted in copper-plated steel due to the increasing price of metal. By May 2006 the pre-1992 (97% copper) coins contained 3p worth of copper each. During 2008, the value of copper fell dramatically from these peaks.

Obverse
United Kingdom / Two Pence - obverse photo

Effigy of the ruling British monarch, legend (in Latin), date.

Obverse Inscription Legend of the ruling British monarch, date
Reverse
United Kingdom / Two Pence - reverse photo

There have been two reverse designs of the two pence coin.

The original design by Christopher Ironside featured, within a beaded circle, the Badge of the Prince of Wales: a plume of three ostrich feathers within a coronet, above the incuse German motto ICH DIEN ("I serve"). The numeral value 2 is written below the badge, and either the denomination is given above either as NEW PENCE (1971–1981) or TWO PENCE (1982 and later); a small number of 1983 NEW PENCE coins exist.

This was superseded in 2008 by a new design by Matthew Dent. In a world-first concept, the designs for the 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p and 50p coins depict sections of the Royal Shield that form the whole shield when placed together. The shield in its entirety is featured on the £1 coin.

The two pence coin depicts the second quarter of the Royal Shield, showing the Lion Rampant from the Royal Banner of Scotland, with the value and denomination TWO PENCE around above. Unlike the earlier reverse, there is no beading (ring of dots) around the coin's circumference.

Reverse Inscription 2 NEW PENCE (1971 - 1981), 2 TWO PENCE (1982 - 2008), TWO PENCE (2008 - present)
EdgePlainEdge InscriptionNone
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London Mint Office coins.
London Mint Office coins.
Coin Type: Two Pence - (57) Coins
Coin NameMintageEffigyLegend
Two Pence 1971 1,455,206,250 Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait ELIZABETH · II D · G · REG · F · D · 1971
Two Pence 1972 (Proof only) 150,000 Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait ELIZABETH · II D · G · REG · F · D · 1972
Two Pence 1973 (Proof only) 100,000 Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait ELIZABETH · II D · G · REG · F · D · 1973
Two Pence 1974 (Proof only) 100,000 Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait ELIZABETH · II D · G · REG · F · D · 1974
Two Pence 1975 145,645,000 Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait ELIZABETH · II D · G · REG · F · D · 1975
Two Pence 1976 181,479,000 Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait ELIZABETH · II D · G · REG · F · D · 1976
Two Pence 1977 109,474,800 Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait ELIZABETH · II D · G · REG · F · D · 1977
Two Pence 1978 189,744,100 Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait ELIZABETH · II D · G · REG · F · D · 1978
Two Pence 1979 260,281,000 Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait ELIZABETH · II D · G · REG · F · D · 1979
Two Pence 1980 408,670,400 Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait ELIZABETH · II D · G · REG · F · D · 1980
Two Pence 1981 353,291,300 Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait ELIZABETH · II D · G · REG · F · D · 1981
Two Pence 1982 (mint sets only) 311,800 Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait ELIZABETH · II D · G · REG · F · D · 1982
Two Pence 1983 (mint sets only) 744,900 Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait ELIZABETH · II D · G · REG · F · D · 1983
Two Pence 1984 (mint sets only) 265,340 Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait ELIZABETH · II D · G · REG · F · D · 1984
Two Pence 1985 107,393,390 Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait ELIZABETH II D · G · REG · F · D · 1985
Two Pence 1986 169,239,321 Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait ELIZABETH II D · G · REG · F · D · 1986
Two Pence 1987 218,361,834 Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait ELIZABETH II D · G · REG · F · D · 1987
Two Pence 1988 420,102,381 Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait ELIZABETH II D · G · REG · F · D · 1988
Two Pence 1989 359,389,273 Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait ELIZABETH II D · G · REG · F · D · 1989
Two Pence 1990 204,681,358 Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait ELIZABETH II D · G · REG · F · D · 1990
Two Pence 1991 86,755,369 Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait ELIZABETH II D · G · REG · F · D · 1991
Two Pence 1992 102,387,747 Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait ELIZABETH II D · G · REG · F · D · 1992
Two Pence 1993 235,797,025 Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait ELIZABETH II D · G · REG · F · D · 1993
Two Pence 1994 531,872,692 Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait ELIZABETH II D · G · REG · F · D · 1994
Two Pence 1995 124,648,286 Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait ELIZABETH II D · G · REG · F · D · 1995
Two Pence 1996 296,432,082 Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait ELIZABETH II D · G · REG · F · D · 1996
Two Pence 1997 496,306,305 Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait ELIZABETH II D · G · REG · F · D · 1997
Two Pence 1998 213,989,862 Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait ELIZABETH · II · D · G REG · F · D · 1998
Two Pence 1999 354,032,840 Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait ELIZABETH · II · D · G REG · F · D · 1999
Two Pence 2000 536,849,219 Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait ELIZABETH · II · D · G REG · F · D · 2000
Two Pence 2001 551,987,113 Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait ELIZABETH · II · D · G REG · F · D · 2001
Two Pence 2002 168,677,309 Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait ELIZABETH · II · D · G REG · F · D · 2002
Two Pence 2003 260,381,512 Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait ELIZABETH · II · D · G REG · F · D · 2003
Two Pence 2004 356,515,637 Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait ELIZABETH · II · D · G REG · F · D · 2004
Two Pence 2005 280,518,263 Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait ELIZABETH · II · D · G REG · F · D · 2005
Two Pence 2006 170,774,798 Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait ELIZABETH · II · D · G REG · F · D · 2006
Two Pence 2007 254,630,093 Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait ELIZABETH · II · D · G REG · F · D · 2007
Two Pence 2008 (Ironside design) 10,772,577 Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait ELIZABETH · II · D · G REG · F · D · 2008
Two Pence 2008 (Dent design) 241,799,000 Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait ELIZABETH · II · D · G REG · F · D · 2008
Two Pence 2009 150,641,270 Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait ELIZABETH · II · D · G REG · F · D · 2009
Two Pence 2010 99,690,000 Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait ELIZABETH · II · D · G REG · F · D · 2010
Two Pence 2011 144,340,000 Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait ELIZABETH · II · D · G REG · F · D · 2011
Two Pence 2012 67,903,802 Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait ELIZABETH · II · D · G REG · F · D · 2012
Two Pence 2013 40,646,937 Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait ELIZABETH · II · D · G REG · F · D · 2013
Two Pence 2014 247,642,614 Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait ELIZABETH · II · D · G REG · F · D · 2014
Two Pence 2015 (Fourth Portrait) 85,945,762 Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait ELIZABETH · II · D · G REG · F · D · 2015
Two Pence 2015 (Fifth Portrait) 139,225,285 Queen Elizabeth II - Fifth Portrait ELIZABETH II · DEI · GRA · REG · FID · DEF · 2015 ·
Two Pence 2016 185,648,830 Queen Elizabeth II - Fifth Portrait ELIZABETH II · DEI · GRA · REG · FID · DEF · 2016 ·
Two Pence 2017 16,653,481 Queen Elizabeth II - Fifth Portrait ELIZABETH II · DEI · GRA · REG · FID · DEF · 2017 ·
Two Pence 2018 (mint sets only) 33,086 Queen Elizabeth II - Fifth Portrait ELIZABETH II · DEI · GRA · REG · FID · DEF · 2018 ·
Two Pence 2019 (mint sets only) 44,158 Queen Elizabeth II - Fifth Portrait ELIZABETH II · DEI · GRA · REG · FID · DEF · 2019 ·
Two Pence 2020 (mint sets only) 56,468 Queen Elizabeth II - Fifth Portrait ELIZABETH II · DEI · GRA · REG · FID · DEF · 2020 ·
Two Pence 2021 117,752,674 Queen Elizabeth II - Fifth Portrait ELIZABETH II · DEI · GRA · REG · FID · DEF · 2021 ·
Two Pence 2022 (mint sets only) 101,120 Queen Elizabeth II - Fifth Portrait ELIZABETH II · DEI · GRA · REG · FID · DEF · 2022 ·
Two Pence 2023 Red Squirrel (mint sets only) unknown King Charles III - First Portrait CHARLES III · DEI · GRA · REX · FID · DEF · 2023 ·
Two Pence 2024 unknown King Charles III - First Portrait CHARLES III · DEI · GRA · REX · FID · DEF · 2024 ·
Two Pence 2025 unknown King Charles III - First Portrait CHARLES III · DEI · GRA · REX · FID · DEF · 2025 ·
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Two Pence: Details
CountryUnited Kingdom
CurrencyPound Sterling
Sub-types Two Pence (Ironside design, Bronze)
Two Pence (Ironside design, Steel)
Two Pence (Dent design)
Two Pence (Squirrel)
From1971
Face Value2 (x Penny)
CurrentYes
Material
Designer
TechnologyMilled (machine-made)
ShapeRound
OrientationMedal Alignment (Axis 0)
Size
Mass
Two Pence: Photos
ImageDetails
Two Pence: Photo Coin, Great Britain, Elizabeth II, 2 Pence, 1986 Coin, Great Britain, Elizabeth II, 2 Pence, 1986
Copyright: NumisCorner.com
Notes: Christopher Ironside reverse (1971 - 2008).
Source
Two Pence: Photo Coin, Great Britain, 2 Pence, 2010 Coin, Great Britain, 2 Pence, 2010
Copyright: NumisCorner.com
Notes: Matthew Dent reverse (2008 - present).
Source
Two Pence: Photo Coin, Great Britain, Elizabeth II, 2 Pence, 1984 Coin, Great Britain, Elizabeth II, 2 Pence, 1984
Copyright: NumisCorner.com
Notes: Queen Elizabeth II, Second Portrait (1971 - 1984).
Source
Two Pence: Photo Coin, Great Britain, Elizabeth II, 2 Pence, 1986 Coin, Great Britain, Elizabeth II, 2 Pence, 1986
Copyright: NumisCorner.com
Notes: Queen Elizabeth II, Third Portrait (1985 - 1997).
Source
Two Pence: Photo Coin, Great Britain, 2 Pence, 2002 Coin, Great Britain, 2 Pence, 2002
Copyright: NumisCorner.com
Notes: Queen Elizabeth II, Fourth Portrait (1998 - 2015).
Source