Very Rare: fewer than 100,000 minted.
2 Pence - Victoria 3rd portrait Maundy issues (1893–1901)
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Year | 1893–1901 |
| Denomination | 2 Pence |
| Mintage | 14,000 |
| Mint | Royal Mint · Llantrisant |
| Series | Maundy Money |
| Circulation | Non-circulating |
| Composition | Silver (.925) (925/1000 fine) |
| Weight | 0.940g · 0.0280 t oz |
| Diameter | 13.0mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
| Obv. artist | Thomas Brock |
| Rev. artist | Jean Baptiste Merlen |
| Grade scale | UK (EF/UNC) |
Older crowned and veiled bust ('Old Head') of Queen Victoria left, legend around.
VICTORIA DEI GRA BRITT REGINA FID DEF IND IMP
Crowned denomination divides date within oak wreath.
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Daily limit reachedAbout the 1893 2 Pence - Victoria – Maundy issues
The 1893 2 Pence - Victoria – Maundy issues is a collector 2 pence coin issued from 1893 to 1901 in the Maundy Money series, struck in 92.5% silver. It weighs 0.94g and measures 13mm across. Reverse design: Crowned denomination divides date within oak wreath.
A mintage of 14,000 is recorded for one date of this type; figures for each year are not held.
Common questions
How much is the 1893 2 Pence - Victoria – Maundy issues worth?
No verified sale of the 1893 2 Pence - Victoria – Maundy issues has been logged on MyCoinage yet. Its silver content is worth about £1.12 at today's spot price, which puts a floor under its value.
Who designed the Old Head Maundy twopence?
The sculptor Thomas Brock made the portrait of the aged Queen wearing a small diadem partly hidden by a widow's veil, used from 1893. The crowned 2 in an oak wreath is Jean Baptiste Merlen's 1822 design, as altered by Leonard Charles Wyon in 1888.
What does IND IMP mean on the Old Head coins?
It stands for Indiae Imperatrix, Empress of India. Wikipedia records that the Old Head coinage was the first to carry the title, approved by Lord Salisbury's cabinet in 1892 because the coins also circulated in the colonies, even though Victoria was not authorised to use it in the United Kingdom.
How many Old Head Maundy twopences were struck?
CoinVarieties, quoting Krause, gives 14,000 for 1893, 11,000 for 1895 and 1896, and 15,000 for 1899. These are larger than the Young Head figures of around 4,500 to 9,000, partly because the gift grew with the Queen's age.
Is a Victorian Maundy twopence legal tender?
Yes. Wikipedia's Royal Maundy article, citing Coincraft, says all Maundy coins, including those struck before decimalisation, are by law treated as denominated in new pence. An Old Head twopence is therefore legal tender for 2p, though it never circulates.
How do I identify the 1893 2 Pence - Victoria – Maundy issues?
Check the weight 0.94g and diameter 13mm and the metal (92.5% silver) against the specification table on this page. The reverse design is described above.
History and design
Thomas Brock's Old Head portrait replaced Boehm's unpopular Jubilee Head on the gold and silver coins in 1893. Wikipedia's account of the Old Head coinage explains that a Committee on the Design of Coins reported in 1892, and the new coins were declared current by proclamation on 30 January 1893 to a far warmer reception than the Jubilee issue had met. The Maundy twopence took the new portrait from the first year.
The twopence had no circulating role and was struck only for the Maundy gift. CoinVarieties, quoting Krause, gives 14,000 for 1893, 11,000 for 1895 and 1896 and 15,000 for 1899. The Royal Maundy article records that by 1897, the Diamond Jubilee year, recipients were being urged to sell their pieces at a premium, with tales of Americans paying high prices for a set as a souvenir. Coins dated 1901 went on being struck with Brock's portrait until Edward VII's coinage was ready in 1902.
Brock's obverse shows the aged Queen wearing a small diadem partly hidden by a widow's veil. The legend, VICTORIA DEI GRA BRITT REGINA FID DEF IND IMP, was the first on British coins to include IND IMP, Empress of India. Wikipedia notes that Brock's initials, TB, appear below the bust on most denominations.
The reverse is the crowned 2 within an oak wreath, Jean Baptiste Merlen's design of 1822 in the form Leonard Charles Wyon gave it in 1888. The coin is sterling silver, 13 mm across.
Collecting notes
Tony Clayton notes that the Maundy gift matched the monarch's age, so supply grew as the reign went on, and that Victorian sets could be ordered through a bank. He also observes that Maundy pieces of this period rarely turn up in worse than very fine condition, so a worn example deserves a second look. The Royal Mint itself sells historic Victorian Maundy sets, including one of 1897.
The site's issue rows mark every date as a proof, which is wrong: these are standard Maundy strikes. The previous type is the Jubilee Head Maundy twopence.
Sources
The history, design, varieties and collecting notes on this page are drawn from these sources. Prices come from recorded sales, not from them.
- Old Head coinage, Wikipedia (read 10 Oct 2026)
- Royal Maundy, Wikipedia (read 10 Oct 2026)
- Great Britain 1893, 1895, 1896 and 1899 2 pence (pages read one by one), CoinVarieties (read 10 Oct 2026)
- Maundy Money, Tony Clayton, Coins of the UK (read 10 Oct 2026)
- Maundy Money (shop listing including the 1897 Victoria Maundy Set), The Royal Mint (read 10 Oct 2026)
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