Two Pence (Dent design), Coin Type from United Kingdom - detailed information

Two Pence (Dent design), Coin Type from United Kingdom (issued 2008 - 2022)
Coin TypeTwo Pence (Dent design)

The two pence coin is currently the second lowest circulating denomination of the British (decimal) Pound Sterling, after the half penny was demonetised in 1984. 2 pence are equal to 1/50th of a pound.

In August 2005 the Royal Mint launched a competition to find new reverse designs for all circulating coins apart from the £2 coin. The winner, announced in April 2008, was Matthew Dent, whose designs were gradually introduced into the circulating British coinage from mid-2008. 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.

This 2p coin design, which replaced the earlier 2p design by Christopher Ironside, depicts the second quarter of the Royal Shield, showing the Lion Rampant from the Royal Banner of Scotland, and the denomination TWO PENCE around above. The coin's obverse remains largely unchanged, but the beading (the ring of dots around the coin's circumference), which no longer features on the coin's reverse, has also been removed from the obverse.

The design was issued until 2022, after which it was superseded by new coinage re-designed for the reign of King Charles III.

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.

Obverse
United Kingdom / Two Pence (Dent design) - obverse photo

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

The design was only issued during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, and the obverse featured:
- the Fourth Portrait of Queen Elizabeth II (by Ian Rank-Broadley), 2008 - 2015
- the Fifth Portrait of Queen Elizabeth II (by Jody Clark), 2015 - 2022

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

The reverse depicts the second quarter of the Royal Shield, showing the Lion Rampant from the Royal Banner of Scotland outlined by a horizontal and a vertical dotted line; the value and denomination TWO PENCE are around above.

The designer's initials MD (for Matthew Dent) are incuse in small letters in the lower part of the vertical dotted line.

Unlike the earlier (Ironside) reverse, there is no beading (ring of dots) around the coin's circumference.

Reverse Inscription TWO PENCE
EdgePlainEdge InscriptionNone
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London Mint Office coins.
London Mint Office coins.
Coin Type: Two Pence (Dent design) - (16) Coins
Coin NameMintageEffigyLegend
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 ·
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Two Pence (Dent design): Details
CountryUnited Kingdom
CurrencyPound Sterling
Sub-type ofTwo Pence
From2008
To2022
Face Value2 (x Penny)
CurrentYes
MaterialCopper-plated steel
DesignerMatthew Dent
TechnologyMilled (machine-made)
ShapeRound
OrientationMedal Alignment (Axis 0)
Size25.9000 mm
Thickness2.0300 mm
Mass7.1200 g
Two Pence (Dent design): Photos
ImageDetails
Two Pence (Dent design): Photo Coin, Great Britain, Elizabeth II, 2 Pence, 2010 Coin, Great Britain, Elizabeth II, 2 Pence, 2010
Copyright: NumisCorner.com
Source
Two Pence (Dent design): Photo Coin, Great Britain, Elizabeth II, 2 Pence, 2010 Coin, Great Britain, Elizabeth II, 2 Pence, 2010
Copyright: NumisCorner.com
Source