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EspañolBRITISH TWO PENCE COIN
(Redirected from Twopence)
:''This article describes the British decimal two pence coin, issued from 1971. For the pre-decimal twopence, issued between 1660 and 1798, please see the article on Maundy money.''
The British decimal 'two pence (2p)' coin – often pronounced "two pee", or sometimes "tuppence" – was issued by the Royal Mint on 15 February 1971, the day the British currency was decimalised. In practice it had been available from banks in bags of £1 for some weeks previously.
The coin was initially minted from bronze, but since 1992 it has been minted in copper-plated steel except for a few months in 1998 when bronze was used again. As copper-plated steel is less dense than bronze, post-1992 coins have been slightly thicker. The coin weighs 7.12 grams and has a diameter of 25.9 millimetres.
The reverse of the coin, designed by Christopher Ironside, is the Badge of the Prince of Wales: a plume of ostrich feathers within a coronet, above the German motto ICH DIEN ("I serve"). The numeral "2" is written below the badge, and either NEW PENCE (1971–1981) or TWO PENCE (from 1982) is written above. However, a small number of 1983 "New Pence" coins exist. These coins are rather rare, and are considered collectors' items.
Three different obverses have been used so far – from 1971 to 1984 the head of Queen Elizabeth II by Arnold Machin, from 1985 to 1997 the head by Raphael Maklouf, and since 1998 the head by Ian Rank-Broadley. In all cases, the inscription is ELIZABETH II D.G.REG.F.D. followed by the date.
Because of soaring metal prices in early 2006, by May of that year the pre-1992 (97% copper) coins were worth 3p each. About 2,551 million such coins remain in circulation. [1]
★ Royal Mint – 2p coin
:''This article describes the British decimal two pence coin, issued from 1971. For the pre-decimal twopence, issued between 1660 and 1798, please see the article on Maundy money.''
The British decimal 'two pence (2p)' coin – often pronounced "two pee", or sometimes "tuppence" – was issued by the Royal Mint on 15 February 1971, the day the British currency was decimalised. In practice it had been available from banks in bags of £1 for some weeks previously.
The coin was initially minted from bronze, but since 1992 it has been minted in copper-plated steel except for a few months in 1998 when bronze was used again. As copper-plated steel is less dense than bronze, post-1992 coins have been slightly thicker. The coin weighs 7.12 grams and has a diameter of 25.9 millimetres.
The reverse of the coin, designed by Christopher Ironside, is the Badge of the Prince of Wales: a plume of ostrich feathers within a coronet, above the German motto ICH DIEN ("I serve"). The numeral "2" is written below the badge, and either NEW PENCE (1971–1981) or TWO PENCE (from 1982) is written above. However, a small number of 1983 "New Pence" coins exist. These coins are rather rare, and are considered collectors' items.
Three different obverses have been used so far – from 1971 to 1984 the head of Queen Elizabeth II by Arnold Machin, from 1985 to 1997 the head by Raphael Maklouf, and since 1998 the head by Ian Rank-Broadley. In all cases, the inscription is ELIZABETH II D.G.REG.F.D. followed by the date.
Because of soaring metal prices in early 2006, by May of that year the pre-1992 (97% copper) coins were worth 3p each. About 2,551 million such coins remain in circulation. [1]
 1971 coin featuring portrait by Arnold Machin |
.jpg) 1997 coin featuring portrait by Raphael Maklouf |
.jpg) 2000 coin featuring portrait by Ian Rank-Broadley |
| Contents |
| External links |
External links
★ Royal Mint – 2p coin
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