20 Pence - Elizabeth II 2nd portrait (1982–1984)

One row for each year the 20 Pence - Elizabeth II 2nd portrait 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. 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 1982 20 Pence - Elizabeth II

The 1982 20 Pence - Elizabeth II is a circulating 20 pence coin issued from 1982 to 1984, struck in copper-nickel (84% Cu, 16% Ni). It weighs 5g and measures 21.4mm across. Reverse design: Crowned Tudor rose dividing date and legend, denomination below.

Mintage figures are recorded for 3 years between 1982 and 1984, 964,628,965 coins in all. 1984 is the scarcest date, with 65,350,965 struck.

Common questions

History and design

By the end of the 1970s the decimal coinage was widely regarded as too heavy. A public consultation was held in 1980, and the Royal Mint quotes the report that followed: there was strong evidence that a 20p or 25p coin and a £1 coin would be needed within three years. A 20p was chosen because it would reduce the number of 10p coins in use.

The new coin entered circulation on 9 June 1982. Like the 50p it is an equilateral curve heptagon, a seven-sided shape with a constant rolling diameter, chosen so that the coin could not be confused with others of similar size and would still work in vending machines.

The launch needed a very large stock. The Royal Mint's figures give 740,815,000 coins dated 1982, the highest of any 20p date in its data. Output then fell to 158,463,000 for 1983 and 65,350,965 for 1984, a total of 964,628,965 across the three years of this type.

William Gardner designed the reverse, a crowned Tudor double rose. The words TWENTY PENCE and the date run around the rose, with the figure 20 below. Tony Clayton's reference describes the border as raised with the inscriptions set into it (incuse). Because the date sits on the reverse, the obverse carries only the Queen's name and titles.

The portrait is Arnold Machin's, showing the Queen in the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara. It was used on the 20p for three years only, until Raphael Maklouf's portrait replaced it in 1985. The edge is plain.

Collecting notes

All three dates are still legal tender and still circulate, since the 20p has not changed in size, weight or alloy since 1982. Clayton notes that the alloy, 84% copper and 16% nickel, is slightly yellower than the 75% copper alloy of the other cupro-nickel coins.

By mintage, 1984 is the lowest of the three years and 1982 by far the highest. No recognised varieties or mint errors are documented for this coin.

The 1982 coin was also included in that year's annual proof set, which the Royal Mint describes as containing the first 20 pence coin, and it exists as a silver piedfort proof. The quickest way to place a 20p in this type is the portrait: the Machin head with the tiara means 1982 to 1984, while the crowned Maklouf head belongs to the 1985 to 1997 type.