Royal Mint launches Britannia £2 coin
The Royal Mint is launching a £2 coin featuring a new image of Britannia.
It will be the first time the patriotic emblem has featured on newly minted UK coins since 2008, when she was replaced on the 50p by the ‘Royal shield of arms design’.
The patriotic image of Britannia will be struck on £2 coins, replacing the current ‘technology’ design by Bruce Rushin which has featured since 1997.
The image of Britannia has appeared, in one form or another, on the reverse or ‘tails’ of British coins since the reign of King Charles II in 1672.
Christopher Ironside’s seated Britannia decorated the reverse of the 50p, first issued in 1969, until 2008 when more contemporary designs were selected for all UK coins from 1p up to £1.
The new design has been created by artist Antony Dufort.
He said: “Britannia has taken so many forms and been presented with such a variety of symbolic elements, I looked to Greek and Roman coins and statues to ensure authenticity while modelling her trident and Corinthian helmet.”
The new Britannia £2 coin will enter circulation at some stage during 2015.
The image will feature alongside a new coinage portrait of Her Majesty the Queen.
You can register your interest with the Royal Mint to ensure you are notified when Britannia makes her return.