Uncommon: fewer than 10,000,000 minted. Sells often: 89 verified sales in the last 12 months.
2 Pounds - Elizabeth II 4th portrait DNA Double Helix (2003)
"DNA £2"
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Year | 2003 |
| Denomination | 2 Pounds |
| Face value | £2 |
| Mintage | 4,299,000 |
| Mint | Royal Mint · Llantrisant |
| Circulation | Circulating |
| Composition | Bimetallic: copper-nickel center in nickel brass ring |
| Weight | 12.000g |
| Diameter | 28.4mm |
| Thickness | 2.50mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Milled: DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID |
| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
| Obv. artist | Ian Rank-Broadley |
| Rev. artist | John Mills |
| Grade scale | UK (EF/UNC) |
Fourth crowned portrait of Queen Elizabeth II right, wearing the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara, legend around.
ELIZABETH.II.DEI.GRA.REG.FID.DEF
DNA double helix, legend above, denomination and dates below.
DNA Double Helix £2 market value
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AffiliateDNA Double Helix £2 price history
Daily limit reachedDNA Double Helix £2 value by grade
Realised auction prices · ⭐ Pro Expand rows for individual sale records| Grade | Latest | Median | 30d Δ | All-time range | Sales (1yr) | Total sales | Last sale | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FDC | £6.99 🔒 eBay | £6.99 (1) | – | £6.99 – £6.99 | 1 | 1 | 13-04-2026 | |
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| UNC | £3.31 🔒 eBay | £3.76 (2) | – | £3.31 – £4.21 | 2 | 2 | 14-05-2026 | |
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| BU | £15.88 🔒 eBay | £8.00 | – | £2.22 – £27.28 | 17 | 17 | 12-10-2026 | |
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| VF | £3.29 🔒 eBay | £3.42 | ▲11.6% | £1.17 – £19.99 | 62 | 62 | 15-10-2026 | |
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| PR-65 | £7.99 🔒 eBay | £7.99 | – | £7.99 – £8.99 | 7 | 7 | 05-10-2026 | |
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About the 2003 2 Pounds - Elizabeth II – DNA Double Helix
The 2003 2 Pounds - Elizabeth II – DNA Double Helix is a circulating 2 pounds coin, struck in bimetallic: copper-nickel center in nickel brass ring. It weighs 12g and measures 28.4mm across. Reverse design: DNA double helix, legend above, denomination and dates below.
4,299,000 were struck.
Common questions
How much is the 2003 2 Pounds - Elizabeth II – DNA Double Helix worth?
Verified sold prices for the 2003 2 Pounds - Elizabeth II – DNA Double Helix run from £3.42 to £8.00 across 5 grades, taking the median for each grade. Condition makes the difference, so check the grade table above before pricing one.
How many DNA £2 coins were made?
The Royal Mint's mintage figures give 4,299,000 struck for circulation, all dated 2003. In the same year the Mint struck 17,531,250 of the standard Technology £2, so about one 2003 £2 in five carries the DNA design.
Is the 2003 DNA £2 rare?
No. A mintage of 4,299,000 puts it in the middle of the range: of the 35 commemorative £2 designs in the Royal Mint's circulating figures, 18 have lower totals and 16 have higher. The scarcest £2 coins were struck in numbers below one million.
Who designed the DNA £2?
John Mills designed the reverse, a representation of the double-helical structure of DNA with the words DNA DOUBLE HELIX above it. The obverse carries the fourth coinage portrait of Elizabeth II, which is by Ian Rank-Broadley.
What is written on the edge of the DNA £2?
The edge reads DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID, the full name of DNA, in incuse letters on a milled edge. The royal proclamation for the coin specifies that the inscription is accompanied by a small double helix. The lettering can face either side of the coin, which is normal.
Is the DNA £2 still legal tender?
Yes. The proclamation for the coin made the cupro-nickel and nickel-brass version current and legal tender for payment of any amount in any part of the United Kingdom. It was struck for general circulation and can still be spent.
How do I identify the 2003 2 Pounds - Elizabeth II – DNA Double Helix?
Check the weight 12g and diameter 28.4mm and the metal (bimetallic: copper-nickel center in nickel brass ring) against the specification table on this page. The reverse design is described above.
History and design
The 2003 DNA £2 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the discovery of the structure of deoxyribonucleic acid, the molecule that carries the genetic code. The structure, a double helix, was worked out in 1953 by Francis Crick and James Watson. The coin was authorised by a royal proclamation given on 20 November 2002, which came into force the next day.
The Royal Mint's figures record 4,299,000 struck for circulation, all dated 2003, against 17,531,250 standard Technology £2 coins of the same date. Among the 35 commemorative £2 designs in the Mint's circulating figures, 18 have lower mintages and 16 have higher, which places this coin almost exactly in the middle.
The reverse is by John Mills. It shows a representation of the double-helical structure of DNA. The words DNA DOUBLE HELIX are above, with the value TWO POUNDS and the anniversary dates 1953 and 2003 below.
The edge is milled and carries, in incuse letters, the inscription DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID together with a small double helix. The obverse has the fourth coinage portrait of Elizabeth II, by Ian Rank-Broadley, with the legend ELIZABETH II DEI GRA REG FID DEF. The outer ring is nickel-brass and the centre cupro-nickel.
Varieties and errors
No recognised varieties or mint errors are documented for this coin.
Edge lettering that appears upside down when the obverse faces up is sometimes described as an error. The Royal Mint has said it is not one: the inscription is rolled onto the blank before striking and can end up facing either way.
Collecting notes
The DNA £2 was struck for general circulation and remains legal tender. On a coin from change, look for clean, unbroken strands in the helix, a centred inner disc and a full edge inscription including the small helix that follows the words.
The proclamation also provided for silver and gold versions of the design, sold to collectors and not issued for circulation. The gold coin carries the same edge inscription and helix on a plain edge. The definitive coin of the year is the Technology £2.
Sources
The history, design, varieties and collecting notes on this page are drawn from these sources. Prices come from recorded sales, not from them.
- UK coin mintage figures (data file), The Royal Mint (read 9 Oct 2026)
- £2 Coin Designs and Specifications, The Royal Mint (read 9 Oct 2026)
- 2003 Elizabeth II 'The 50th Anniversary of the Discovery of DNA' £2 Coin, The Royal Mint (read 9 Oct 2026)
- Proclamation determining the specifications and design for two-pound coins commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the discovery of the structure of deoxyribonucleic acid (London Gazette issue 56771, 3 December 2002, page 14661), The London Gazette (read 9 Oct 2026)
- 2003 Two Pounds, Check Your Change (read 9 Oct 2026)
- Why does the edge inscription on the £2 and £1 coins sometimes appear "upside down"?, The Royal Mint (read 9 Oct 2026)
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