Quick answer
The 2018 Frankenstein £2 coin is worth about £20 to £27 in Brilliant Uncirculated condition, based on sold prices tracked by MyCoinage, late 2026. It was never released into circulation, so it cannot be found in change. Around 60,399 base-metal coins were sold, plus silver and gold proof versions that sell for more.
Key facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Year | 2018 |
| Denomination | £2 (bimetallic) |
| Occasion | 200 years since Mary Shelley's Frankenstein was first published in 1818 |
| Reverse design | The word "Frankenstein" in lettering styled like an ECG heartbeat trace, by Thomas Docherty |
| Obverse | Fifth portrait of Elizabeth II by Jody Clark |
| Edge inscription | A SPARK OF BEING |
| Circulation mintage | None. Not issued for circulation |
| Brilliant Uncirculated coins sold | 60,399 (catalogue figure) |
| Metal | Nickel-brass outer ring, cupro-nickel centre |
| Weight and size | 12.0g, 28.4mm diameter, 2.5mm thick |
| Typical sold price (Brilliant Uncirculated) | About £20 to £27 |
What is the Frankenstein £2 coin?
It is the £2 coin the Royal Mint issued in 2018 to mark the bicentenary of Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein, first published in 1818. The Royal Mint's own name for it is "The Bicentenary of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein".
The monster does not appear on the coin. The reverse, by Royal Mint designer Thomas Docherty, spells out the word "Frankenstein" in what the Royal Mint calls "ECG monitor style wording", so the letters look like the jagged pulse of a heartbeat on a hospital monitor.
The edge inscription reads A SPARK OF BEING, a phrase taken from the novel. The obverse carries Jody Clark's fifth portrait of Elizabeth II.
It is one of a small group of UK coins with a Halloween connection, and the only one of them that is a standard bimetallic £2 sold in a Royal Mint pack.
Was the Frankenstein £2 coin released into circulation?
No. The Frankenstein £2 was struck only for collectors and was sold in packs and annual sets. None were sent to banks or cash centres.
The Royal Mint's circulation mintage data confirms this. It has no entry for a Frankenstein £2, and the only £2 line it carries for 2018 (the definitive Britannia design) shows a mintage of zero. The same data shows zero £2 coins issued for circulation in 2017, 2019 and 2020 as well. You can see the full run of figures on the £2 mintage table.
So if a Frankenstein £2 turns up in a till or a coin jar, somebody has opened a collector pack and spent it. That happens, but it is not how the coin was distributed, and a coin that has been through tills is worth less than one still in its pack.
Frankenstein £2 coin mintage: how many were made?
Because the coin did not circulate, there is no circulation mintage. What exists instead is a sales figure for each collector version, and a maximum mintage that the Royal Mint set for the precious-metal coins.
| Version | Metal | Weight | Royal Mint maximum mintage | Catalogue figure (coins issued) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brilliant Uncirculated | Nickel-brass and cupro-nickel | 12.0g | None stated | 60,399 |
| Silver proof | .925 silver, outer ring plated with fine gold | 12.0g | 8,000 | 3,198 |
| Silver proof piedfort | .925 silver, outer ring plated with fine gold | 24.0g | 2,818 | 1,379 |
| Gold proof | 22 carat gold (red gold outer, yellow gold inner) | 15.97g | 575 | 254 |
The maximum mintages and specifications are from the Royal Mint's archived product pages. The "coins issued" column is the figure shown on each MyCoinage coin page. In every precious-metal version, far fewer coins were issued than the Royal Mint's ceiling allowed.
The Brilliant Uncirculated total includes coins sold in single Royal Mint packs and coins sold inside the 2018 annual sets.
How much is a Frankenstein £2 coin worth?
A Brilliant Uncirculated Frankenstein £2 sells for about £20 to £27. The Frankenstein £2 coin page records 44 sales graded Brilliant Uncirculated with a 90-day median of £25.99, and 22 graded Uncirculated with a median of £21.87.
| Version | Recorded sales | Sold price range | 90-day median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brilliant Uncirculated | 44 | £15.08 to £45.00 | £25.99 |
| Uncirculated | 22 | £18.58 to £50.06 | £21.87 |
| Silver proof | 15 | £42.04 to £82.86 | £51.01 |
| Silver proof piedfort | 2 | £67.05 to £95.00 | £95.00 |
| Gold proof | 2 | £800 to £1,750 | No recent sales |
These figures are based on sold prices tracked by MyCoinage, late 2026. The top of each range is usually one sale, often a coin in a sealed pack or a graded holder, so the median is the better guide.
Two points are worth knowing. The Royal Mint sold the Brilliant Uncirculated coin for £10, so it has held more than its issue price. And the two gold proof sales were far apart in time (£800 in 2024, £1,750 in early 2026), which says more about the gold price than about demand for this design.
Thin data needs care. Two piedfort sales and two gold sales are not enough to set a firm value, so check the coin page for newer results before buying or selling.
Is the Frankenstein £2 coin rare?
It is scarce by the numbers and easy to buy in practice. Both things are true, and the difference explains the price.
About 60,399 base-metal coins exist. The scarcest £2 that did circulate, the 2002 Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland coin, has a mintage of 485,500. On paper the Frankenstein £2 is roughly eight times scarcer.
The comparison is not like for like. A circulating coin has to be found, and most survivors are worn. Every Frankenstein £2 went straight to a collector in protective packaging, so almost all of them still exist in top condition and plenty are offered for sale at any time.
That is why it sells in the £20s and not for hundreds. It belongs with the other collector-only £2 coins of 2017 to 2020, not on the list of rare £2 coins you might pull from your change.
How to check a Frankenstein £2 coin
Start with how the coin is presented. A coin still sealed in its Royal Mint pack is what buyers pay the higher prices for. A loose coin is fine, but look for contact marks and fingerprints, which matter on a coin that is expected to be flawless. The guide to Brilliant Uncirculated and Uncirculated coins explains the difference.
Then check which version you have. The base-metal coin weighs 12.0g with a gold-coloured ring and silver-coloured centre. The silver proof is the same weight, struck in .925 silver to proof quality with a gold-plated outer ring. The piedfort is double the weight at 24.0g.
No mint error was found documented for this coin, so treat any "Frankenstein £2 error" listing with caution.
For a current figure, use the coin value checker or compare the coin with other designs in the £2 coin values guide.
If you have this coin, you can add it to your collection from the Frankenstein £2 page on MyCoinage and track its value. It is free to start.
FAQ
How much is the Frankenstein £2 coin worth?
A 2018 Frankenstein £2 in Brilliant Uncirculated condition is worth about £20 to £27, based on sold prices tracked by MyCoinage in late 2026. The 90-day median is £25.99 across 44 recorded sales. Silver proof versions have sold for £42 to £83.
Was the Frankenstein £2 coin released into circulation?
No. The Frankenstein £2 was sold only in collector packs and annual sets. Royal Mint mintage data shows no £2 coins of any design issued for circulation in 2018, so one found in change has been spent from a collector pack.
How many Frankenstein £2 coins were made?
About 60,399 Brilliant Uncirculated Frankenstein £2 coins were issued, according to the MyCoinage catalogue. The precious-metal versions are far smaller: 3,198 silver proofs, 1,379 silver piedforts and 254 gold proofs, against Royal Mint maximum mintages of 8,000, 2,818 and 575.
Is the Frankenstein £2 coin rare?
It is scarcer than any circulating £2, with about 60,399 base-metal coins against 485,500 for the lowest circulating design. But every coin was sold to a collector in packaging, so supply is steady and prices sit in the £20s.
Who designed the Frankenstein £2 coin?
Thomas Docherty, a Royal Mint designer, created the reverse. It shows the word "Frankenstein" in lettering that imitates an ECG heartbeat trace. The obverse is the fifth portrait of Elizabeth II by Jody Clark, and the edge reads A SPARK OF BEING.
What does the edge of the Frankenstein £2 say?
The edge inscription is A SPARK OF BEING, a phrase from Mary Shelley's novel. The Royal Mint lists it on its £2 design and specifications page alongside the designer, Thomas Docherty.
Sources
- The Royal Mint: Two Pound Coin designs and specifications
- The Royal Mint: Two Pound Mintage Figures
- The Royal Mint: Frankenstein 2018 UK Brilliant Uncirculated Coin
- The Royal Mint: Frankenstein 2018 UK Silver Proof Coin
- The Royal Mint: Frankenstein 2018 UK Silver Proof Piedfort Coin
- The Royal Mint: Frankenstein 2018 UK Gold Proof Coin