Quick answer
The 2005 Guy Fawkes (Gunpowder Plot) £2 coin is worth about £3 to £4 in circulated condition, based on sold prices tracked by MyCoinage, late 2026. The Royal Mint struck 5,140,500, so it is not rare. The "Pemember" edge spelling is not a mint error and brings no reliable premium.
Key facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Year | 2005 |
| Denomination | £2 (bimetallic) |
| Occasion | 400th anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 |
| Reverse design | Mace, crosier and sword in a circular arrangement with stars, by Peter Forster |
| Obverse | Fourth portrait of Elizabeth II by Ian Rank-Broadley |
| Edge inscription | REMEMBER REMEMBER THE FIFTH OF NOVEMBER |
| Circulation mintage | 5,140,500 |
| Metal | Nickel-brass outer ring, cupro-nickel centre |
| Weight and size | 12.0g, 28.4mm diameter, 2.5mm thick |
| In circulation | Yes, legal tender and still found in change |
| Typical sold price (circulated) | About £3 to £4 |
What is the Guy Fawkes £2 coin?
It is the £2 coin the Royal Mint issued in 2005 for the 400th anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot, the failed attempt to kill King James I and destroy Parliament on 5 November 1605. Collectors call it the Guy Fawkes £2, the Gunpowder Plot £2 or the "Remember Remember" £2.
Guy Fawkes himself does not appear on it. The reverse, by the artist Peter Forster, shows the traditional symbols of state (the mace, the crosier and the sword) arranged in a circle. The Royal Mint describes the arrangement as suggestive of a Catherine wheel, with the surrounding stars a further nod to fireworks.
The edge carries the opening of the Bonfire Night rhyme: REMEMBER REMEMBER THE FIFTH OF NOVEMBER. That edge is where the famous "error" comes from.
How much is a Guy Fawkes £2 coin worth?
A coin from circulation is worth a little over face value. The Gunpowder Plot £2 coin page records 26 sales of circulated (VF) examples, with a 90-day median of £3.63.
| Condition | Recorded sales | Sold price range | 90-day median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heavily worn (G) | 4 | £2.76 to £3.55 | £2.84 |
| Circulated (VF) | 26 | £1.16 to £17.22 | £3.63 |
| Brilliant Uncirculated | 11 | £6.52 to £49.99 | £23.95 |
These figures are based on sold prices tracked by MyCoinage, late 2026. The high end of each range is a single sale. Most circulated coins change hands for £3 to £4.
Brilliant Uncirculated coins, usually still in Royal Mint packaging, sell for several times that. The spread is wide, so check recent sales before buying or selling one.
With a mintage of 5,140,500 this is a mid-table coin. It is far more common than the scarce designs listed in the guide to rare £2 coins, and you can see where it falls on the £2 mintage table.
The "Pemember" £2 coin: what is the spelling mistake?
Many Gunpowder Plot £2 coins appear to have a misspelt edge. Instead of REMEMBER REMEMBER THE FIFTH OF NOVEMBER, the lettering seems to read PEMEMBER PEMEMBER, and sometimes PEMEMBEP or NOVEMBEP. In every version an R looks like a P.
It looks like a spelling mistake. It is not one.
What the Royal Mint said
Change Checker reported the Royal Mint's explanation in 2015: the down-stroke of the R coincides with the milling around the edge. The leg of the letter falls on the milled grooves, and as the coin wears in circulation it becomes less defined until only a P shape is left.
In other words, the die was correct. The Mint spelled the inscription properly, and the Royal Mint has not confirmed any error variety of this coin.
Why it is not an error coin
A genuine mint error is a mistake in how a coin was made: the wrong blank, the wrong die or the wrong edge. The "Pemember" effect is how a correctly made coin looks once a shallow part of a letter has worn. It can show on any of the 5,140,500 coins struck, which is the opposite of rare.
The same thing happens on other £2 coins. On the 2012 Charles Dickens £2, worn coins can appear to read SOMETHING WII TURN UP.
Does "Pemember" add value?
Not in any consistent way. Sold prices for this coin cluster at £3 to £4 for circulated examples whatever the edge looks like. Listings that describe a "Pemember error" often carry high asking prices, but an asking price is not a sale.
Other Guy Fawkes £2 coin error claims
Two more claims appear in listings, and neither is an error.
Upside-down edge lettering. The Royal Mint's FAQ explains that the edge inscription is rolled onto the blank before the coin is struck, so it can face either way relative to the Queen's head. In the Mint's words, "there is no right or wrong way."
Dots out of line on the obverse. The ring of dots around the Queen's portrait is often slightly offset or faint on £2 coins of this period. It is ordinary production variation.
For errors that have been verified on £2 coins, see the guide to £2 edge inscription errors and the wider UK coin errors list.
How to check your Gunpowder Plot £2 coin
Read the edge under a good light and tilt the coin. Look for any trace of the R's leg where it meets the milling.
Then judge the condition honestly. A coin with bright, unmarked surfaces is worth more than a dull one with rim knocks, and that difference matters far more than the edge spelling.
For a current figure, use the coin value checker, or compare it with other designs in the £2 coin values guide. If you are sorting through a jar of £2 coins, the is my £2 rare guide shows which ones deserve a second look.
If you have this coin, you can add it to your collection from the Gunpowder Plot £2 page on MyCoinage and track its value. It is free to start.
FAQ
How much is a Guy Fawkes £2 coin worth?
A circulated 2005 Guy Fawkes £2 coin is worth about £3 to £4, based on sold prices tracked by MyCoinage in late 2026. The 90-day median for circulated examples is £3.63 across 26 recorded sales. Brilliant Uncirculated coins in original packaging sell for more.
What is the Guy Fawkes £2 spelling mistake?
The edge inscription should read REMEMBER REMEMBER THE FIFTH OF NOVEMBER, but on many coins it appears to say PEMEMBER PEMEMBER. The leg of each R sits on the edge milling and wears away, leaving a P shape. The inscription was spelled correctly when the coin was struck.
Is the Pemember £2 coin a real error?
No. The "Pemember" £2 is not a mint error. The Royal Mint's explanation, as reported by Change Checker, is that the down-stroke of the R coincides with the milling on the edge. Wear makes the letter look like a P. It is common and adds no reliable value.
How many Guy Fawkes £2 coins were made?
The Royal Mint struck 5,140,500 Gunpowder Plot £2 coins for circulation, all dated 2005. That is a mid-range mintage for a commemorative £2, more than ten times the 485,500 struck of the scarcest circulating design.
Is Guy Fawkes on the 2005 £2 coin?
No. Although collectors call it the Guy Fawkes £2, the reverse shows a mace, a crosier and a sword arranged in a circle with stars around them. Peter Forster designed it to mark the 400th anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot.
Can you still find the Gunpowder Plot £2 in change?
Yes. The 2005 Gunpowder Plot £2 was issued for general circulation and is still legal tender. More than five million were struck, which is why circulated examples sell for only a little over face value.