Royal Mint unveils design for Britannia's return to circulation
- Published: Feb 27, 2015, 4 AM
The Royal Mint on Feb. 27 unveiled the new image of Britannia that returns to the United Kingdom’s circulating coins in 2015.
The new design, by Antony Dufort, appears on the reverse of the £2 coin. The coin also sports a new obverse portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, but that will be unveiled March 2.
The new United Kingdom circulating coins feature the patriotic emblem of Great Britain for the first time since she was replaced by the “Royal shield of arms design” on the 50-penny coin in 2008.
The new depiction of Britannia replaces the ‘technology’ design by Bruce Rushin which has occupied the reverse of the UK’s highest denomination circulating coin since 1997.
The new Britannia £2 coins will begin to enter circulation at some stage during 2015, the Royal Mint announced.
Britannia appeared on British coinage continously from 1672 until 2008, when a new suite of designs replaced Christopher Ironsides’ series that was introduced for decimalization.
Coin World was the first to report that Britannia would return to circulating British coinage, after an announcement was made during the World Money Fair in Berlin. Coin World will report more on the return of Britannia and her place in UK coinage history in the coming weeks.
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