Two Pounds 1902, Coin from United Kingdom - detailed information

Two Pounds 1902, Coin from United Kingdom (demonetised 1971)
CoinTwo Pounds 1902

A gold coin (28 mm diameter with milled edge) featuring a bare head of King Edward VII facing right; around, EDWARDVS VII D:G: BRITT: OMN: REX F:D: IND:IMP: below the head in tiny letters the artist's initials DeS. The reverse features St. George on horseback holding short sword, the horse rearing to right over a fallen dragon which has a broken lance in its chest; in exergue, the date, 1902. The mint mark (if any) is in the ground above the middle of the date.

This was a special commemorative issue related to the coronation of Edward VII. The only other two pound coin struck in Australia as well as in London, also at the Sydney Mint, was in 1887 for the Jubilee of Queen Victoria. After the closure of the Sydney Mint in 1926 the dies for this coin were brought to the Melbourne Mint and may have been employed there before being defaced and sent to the Dixon Collection in Sydney (now in the State Library of New South Wales, Dixon Collection).

MintMint markTotal Mintage
Royal Mint London No mint mark 53,873
Sydney Mint Letter S unknown, Rarity: R3 (Extremely Rare)
Obverse
United Kingdom / Two Pounds 1902 - obverse photo

Head of King Edward VII facing right; around, EDWARDVS VII D: G: BRITT: OMN: REX F: D: IND: IMP: below the head in tiny letters the artist's initials DeS (for George William de Saulles).

Obverse Inscription EDWARDVS VII D: G: BRITT: OMN: REX F: D: IND: IMP:
Reverse
United Kingdom / Two Pounds 1902 - reverse photo

St. George on horseback holding short sword, the horse rearing to right over a fallen dragon which has a broken lance in its chest; in exergue, the date, 1902. The mint mark (if any) is in the ground above the middle of the date.

Reverse Inscription 1902
EdgeMilledEdge InscriptionNone
Notes

The Renniks Australian Coin and Banknote Guide 1965 says:

"The Sydney Mint struck gold Two Pound and Five Pound Gold Pieces for the years 1887, 1893 and 1902. No mintage figures are available for these Pieces, however at least fourteen 1887 Gold Pieces have been estimated to exist."

According to the Catalogue of British Commonwealth Coins 1649 - 1971, "Probably not more than a dozen or so of each of the listed two and five pound gold coins [1887, 1893, 1902] were issued".

Krause catalogues list a "Matte Proof" only for Sydney, with mintage of 4 (four). Spink says: "Extremely rare".

Two Pounds 1902: Known varieties
Variety Matt proof FDC (Royal Mint London)
Mintage Issued: 8,066 (included in total)
Two Pounds 1902: References to Information Used
SourceEditionAboutLinkNotes
Museums Victoria Collections 2016 Coin description link
Remick, Catalogue of British Commonwealth Coins 1971 Mint Royal Mint London
Renniks, Australian Coin and Banknote Values 1965 Mint Sydney Mint
Remick, Catalogue of British Commonwealth Coins 1971 Mintage Royal Mint London regular and proof mintage
Remick, Catalogue of British Commonwealth Coins 1971 Varieties Proof (Royal Mint London)
All (13) coins of type: Double Sovereign (Pre-decimal)
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Two Pounds 1902: Details
CountryUnited Kingdom
CurrencyPound Sterling (pre-decimal)
Coin TypeDouble Sovereign (Pre-decimal)
Issued1902
MonarchKing Edward VII
EffigyKing Edward VII - Portrait by George William de Saulles (Bare Head)
Face Value2 (x Pound)
Total Mintage53,873
CurrentNo; demonetised 1971
Material0.9167 Gold
DesignerBenedetto Pistrucci
TechnologyMilled (machine-made)
ShapeRound
Mass15.9761 g
OCC IDZQRA-POBN-CBKX-OYJD
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Two Pounds 1902: Photos
ImageDetails
Two Pounds 1902: Photo Coin - 2 Pounds, Edward VII, Great Britain, 1902 / thumbnail Coin - 2 Pounds, Edward VII, Great Britain, 1902
Copyright: Museums Victoria / CC BY
Author:
Notes: Royal Mint London.
Source
Two Pounds 1902: Photo Coin - 2 Pounds, Edward VII, Great Britain, 1902 / thumbnail Coin - 2 Pounds, Edward VII, Great Britain, 1902
Copyright: Museums Victoria / CC BY
Author:
Notes: Royal Mint London.
Source
Two Pounds 1902: Photo Proof Coin - 2 Pounds, New South Wales, Australia, 1902 / thumbnail Proof Coin - 2 Pounds, New South Wales, Australia, 1902
Copyright: Museums Victoria / CC BY
Author:
Notes: Sydney Mint.
Source
Two Pounds 1902: Photo Proof Coin - 2 Pounds, New South Wales, Australia, 1902 / thumbnail Proof Coin - 2 Pounds, New South Wales, Australia, 1902
Copyright: Museums Victoria / CC BY
Author:
Notes: Sydney Mint.
Source
Two Pounds 1902: Catalogue Reference IDs
SourceReference ID
Friedberg, Gold Coins of the WorldGreat Britain 257 (Royal Mint London)
Krause, Standard Catalog of World CoinsGreat Britain KM# 806 (Royal Mint London)
Spink, Coins of England and the United Kingdom3967 (regular, London) and 3968 (proof , London)
Friedberg, Gold Coins of the WorldAustralia 31 (Sydney Mint)
Krause, Standard Catalog of World CoinsAustralia KM# 16 (Sydney Mint)
Spink, Coins of England and the United Kingdom3968A (Sydney Mint)
McDonald, Australian Coins and BanknotesMcD 350 (Sydney Mint)