2 Pence - Elizabeth II 5th portrait Royal Shield (2015–2022)

One row for each year the 2 Pence - Elizabeth II 5th portrait – Royal Shield was struck. Prices are medians of verified sold listings matched to that year from the listing: circulated is worn condition up to Extremely Fine, uncirculated is About Uncirculated or better. A count in brackets means fewer than three sales behind the figure; a grey figure marked "type" is the median across every year, shown where that year has no sale of its own yet; years with no sales yet fill in as sales are recorded. Most types have been searched year by year only since October 2026, so later years are still filling in. Use the grade table below for a price by condition across all years.

About the 2015 2 Pence - Elizabeth II – Royal Shield

The 2015 2 Pence - Elizabeth II – Royal Shield is a circulating 2 pence coin issued from 2015 to 2022 in the Royal Shield series, struck in copper plated steel. It weighs 7.12g and measures 25.9mm across. Reverse design: Top right section of the Royal Shield, denomination to upper segment.

Mintage figures are recorded for 8 years between 2015 and 2022, 459,288,265 coins in all. 2018 is the scarcest date, with 24,755 struck.

Common questions

History and design

Half of the dates of this 2p never reached circulation. The type began in 2015, when the Royal Mint unveiled a new portrait of the Queen on 2 March and put it into production the same day. The Mint's figures give 139,200,000 2p coins with the new portrait that year and 85,900,000 with the old one.

A further 185,600,000 followed for 2016, then only 16,600,000 for 2017. After that the Mint's figures show no 2p for circulation in 2018, 2019 or 2020. A Treasury spokesperson explained in 2019 that the Mint had not been asked for 1p or 2p coins because there were already enough in circulation.

One more circulating issue was made, 117,700,000 dated 2021, and the figure for 2022 is again 0. The four circulating dates total 459,100,000.

Matthew Dent's 2p shows part of the Shield of the Royal Arms, which his 1p to 50p designs form when placed together. The proclamation describes it as a section of the Royal Arms showing elements of the second quartering, accompanied by the words TWO PENCE. Collector guides place it at the upper right of the shield.

The obverse carries the portrait by Jody Clark, the first Royal Mint engraver in over 100 years to be chosen for a definitive royal portrait. The Queen wears the Royal Diamond Diadem. The edge is plain and the coin is copper-plated steel, so it is magnetic.

Collecting notes

No recognised varieties or mint errors are documented for this coin.

The date to look for is 2017. Its 16,600,000 is the second lowest of any circulating 2p in the Royal Mint's figures. Only the last of the Ironside design coins, the 10,600,000 dated 2008, has a lower figure.

Coins dated 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022 should not turn up in change. Collector references record 2018 and 2019 as made for annual sets only. A 2015 coin may have either portrait, and the older one belongs to the fourth portrait shield 2p.

The 2p remains legal tender for amounts up to 20 pence. The 2021 coin is also the most recent 2p with a circulating figure: the Mint's file shows 0 so far for its successor, the Red Squirrel 2p of Charles III.