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Oh, Charles Dickens and his stories of pain, kindness, redemption, and charity. Even two centuries after his era, we still read his stories and find wisdom in them. Perhaps to immortalize the English writer, the Royal Mint made a coin in his name.
Ready to learn more about the 2012 Charles Dickens £2 coin? We will talk about this coin’s design, possible errors, and value.
Collecting is more than a hobby today. It’s a business! And for any business, you need to know how much you’re spending/acquiring. A Coin Value Identifier might help you, then!
£2 Charles Dickens Coin Design and Overview
The coin was issued in 2012 to mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Dickens (born 1812). Like many commemorative coins, this one circulated widely, and you could get a piece randomly, as you would get any other coin from cash.
Like any other 2 pound, it shared the same obverse as others, displaying the monarch at that time.
Obverse (front): Queen Elizabeth II portrait, designed by Ian Rank-Broadley. Around the portrait is the Latin legend: “ELIZABETH · II · DEI · GRA · REG · FID · DEF” which abbreviates to: Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, Queen, Defender of the Faith. This motto is iconic, similar to the US “In God We Trust” coins.
Unlike the classical obverse, the reverse had a more artistic, unconventional approach.
Reverse (back): The silhouette of Dickens, formed by the titles of his works (e.g., Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, A Tale of Two Cities, A Christmas Carol, David Copperfield, Sketches by Boz, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, etc.). His image was designed by Matthew Dent. There’s an inscription “1812 CHARLES DICKENS 1870”.
£2 Coin Charles Dickens Characteristics | |
Country | United Kingdom |
Years of Minting | 2012 |
Type: | Standard circulation |
Shape: | Round |
Composition and metal content | Outer ring: nickel-brass 76% copper, 4% nickel, 20% zinc Inner ring: Cupro-nickel 75% copper, 25% nickel |
Diameter | 28.40 mm |
Weight | 12 grams |
Fun fact: Five £2 coins were issued later in 2020 to marks the 150th Anniversary of Charles Dickens passing (not birth). The set included 5 pieces, featuring the character of his works like Oliver Twist, David Copperfield and others.
Different Versions
Today, we’re accustomed to having many different coin varieties, either according to different mint marks, designs, or metal composition.
Unlike most commemorative pieces, the 1812 Charles Dickens 1870 £2 coin is very consistent and barely has any varieties. The only exception is special collector's editions that housed diffrent valuable metals.
Standard Circulation: The one we’ve talked about until this point. The most common piece. It had a very respectable mintage of 8,190,000, and some say that you can still randomly get such a coin as change even today!
Silver Proof: Contains .925 sterling silver, while the exterior band is plated in fine gold. Some also come in “Piedfort” silver, and those pounds weigh more and have a bigger value. Often sold in special collectors’ sets, complete with various accessories such as cards and cases.
Gold Proof: Contains 0.4707 troy ounce of .9167 pure gold. Extremely limited, with a mintage of 850. You’ll never receive such a pound as change. It was created for collecting and keeping, not for everyday circulation.
Now you probably wonder about the cost. After all, the top 100 most valuable coins in the world are led by another golden piece (1933 Double Eagle).
Charles Dickens 2 Pound Coin Value
Let’s see how much all of these editions cost. The difference in value is astonishing.
Version | Typical Value |
Brilliant Uncirculated (BU) | Usually more than face value: £3+ depending on condition and demand. In rare cases, you can find circulated pieces for the face value of £2. |
Silver Proof | Most silver pieces are sold in the £20-£50 range. The exact value depends on shipping + accessories. The Piedfort Silver is even more valuable, often £100+ due to the heavier metals. |
Gold Proof | Exceptionally valuable. The prices start at around £1,980. Only a few listings exist. |
Keep in mind that the exact Charles Dickens £2 coin worth depends on the collector’s kit you’re buying, as most come with accessories that add auxiliary value. It’s a common practice for most commemorative pieces.
Errors and Their Values
Not every modern coin has errors of note. The technical progress obliterated most common errors, but some new commemorative coins have new errors. For example, in the US, 2023 Maria Tallchief Quarter had interesting die crack cases, multiplying her feather headband.
Charles Dickens 2 pound coin minting errors are rare, but if you find an error, you can sell this piece for a great value.
2 pound coin Charles Dickens has only one error of note, and even this error has a debated state. Some collectors are ready to pay multiple hundred pounds for it, and others consider it a natural occurrence, just a quirk due to a big mintage.
The 1812 Charles Dickens £2 coin has edge lettering “Something Will Turn Up”. The lettering can be struck either way (upright or inverted). Neither orientation is considered an error by the Mint, but some collectors treat one orientation as scarcer (as to which one exactly is debated among the same collectors).
Anyways, one such rotated Charles Dickens £2 coin error was sold for £350. The listing appeared and disappeared quickly, and no photo evidence was found, unfortunately.
Perhaps you will find a new error? With time, more and more mishaps are uncovered by collectors. So take out your collecting supplies: gloves and a magnifying glass, and expect your piece. Does it have any of the errors from the list below?
Off-centre strike: The design is not aligned with the blank, leaving part of it missing.
Double strike: The bit is struck more than once, often with a slightly shifted design.
Broadstrike: The piece is struck without the restraining collar, so it spreads wider than normal.
Capped die: A coin sticks to the die and then impresses a distorted design onto the next blanks.
Clipped planchet: Part of the blank is missing, often with a crescent-shaped cut.
Die clash: The two dies strike each other without a blank in between, transferring part of the design from one die to the other.
Doubled Die (true error): Has doubled design elements due to being struck twice.
Look carefully. Perhaps you will be the pioneer in uncovering new errors.
Coins ID Scanner
Do you want to know more about pieces in your collection? Information is priceless in our day and age, and an app like the Coin ID Scanner app is an expert when it comes to coins.
The main function of an app is Coin Recognition. You can upload or take photos of coinage, and the app will try to identify them and provide info like country, denomination, approximate values, etc.
The app uses two things for accurate (98%) identification: AI and a large database of 150,000+ coins. The database is well-maintained and can cover many modern, commemorative, and international pieces.
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The app offers many other useful functions, like numismatic blogs, news, and collecting management tools.
Give the Coin ID Scanner a try! It’s a free app, available on Android and iOS.
FAQ
Why Did the Royal Mint Choose Dickens for Coins?
Dickens is one of Britain’s most celebrated authors, known for works like Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol, and Great Expectations. Due to his contribution to English literature, the Royal Mint decided to grace 2 pounds with his image. Why 2012? Because it was the bicentennial anniversary of his birth (1812).
Can I Still Get the Charles Dickens 2012 £2 Coin Today?
Yes. The piece is still relatively modern and circulated as change. You may also buy the 2 rounds directly from dealers/collectors. Special editions (Silver Proof, Gold Proof) are no longer sold directly by the Royal Mint, but they appear regularly from dealers, auctions, and marketplaces.
Did the UK Make Other Commemorative 2-Pounds?
Yes, the £2 piece is often used for commemoratives. Since the bi-metallic £2 was introduced in 1997, the UK released many special designs: 2007 Abolition of the Slave Trade, 2009 Charles Darwin, 2009 Charles Darwin, 2015 Magna Carta, 2016 Shakespeare series, 2018 Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and more.
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