Falkland Islands: 2 pound coin types of 1999, 2003 and 2004

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Falkland Islands, 2 pound coin, 1999 - 2000.

The Falkland Islands issued a crown-sized (38.6mm) collector 2 pound coin in 1999. It was issued to commemorate the coming of the new millennium and the millennium itself, hence the two years, 1999-2000, on the obverse of the coin.

The coin was produced by the Royal Mint (UK) and commemorated the coming of the new millennium. It had a reeded edge, without any inscription.


The attractive design on the reverse was the work of Royal Mint artist and engraver Matthew Bonaccorsi.

Though the UK had issued a circulation 2 pound coin from the year 1997 onward, this Falkland 2 pound coin of 1999 was not meant to circulate. It was truly a collector coin only.


This collector coin came in two versions: one in silver, and the other with a copper-nickel centre within a nickel-brass ring.

Reverse of the Falkland Islands circulation 2 pound coin of 1999.

Above you see a larger image of the beautiful design on the reverse of the circulation 2 pound coin of 1999.

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Obverse of the Falkland Islands circulation 2 pound coin of 2004.

The next version of this coin that most Falklands fans know about is the 2004 circulation coin. It was produced by the Royal Mint (UK) and was bimetallic, with a copper-nickel center within a nickel-brass ring.

Like its UK counterpart, this circulation coin had a diameter of 28.4 mm and was therefore much smaller than the 38 mm of the 1999-2000 collector coin.


The coin had the following edge inscription:

30 YEARS OF FALKLAND ISLANDS COINAGE ·

Unlike the 1999 version, the reverse of the 2 pound coin of 2004 included the words 'FALKLAND ISLANDS'.

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Dr. Gerhard Schön's German language world coin catalogue lists two versions of this Falkland 2 pound circulation coin: one for 2003, without an edge inscription, and one for 2004, with the aforementioned edge inscription. He lists both coins as products of the Royal Mint (UK).

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Until today, I had never heard of the 2003 version of the 2 pound coin. So, I consulted numista.com.

Numista does indeed list the 2003 version of the coin: see here.

Numista describes it as a 'non-circulating coin'.



For the 2004 version of the coin on numista, see here.

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On Numista, member INCITATUS18 describes his Falkland Islands 2 pound coin of 2003 here.

He provides images of his coin, which he says is in circulated condition. I quote his post on Numista:

Last July [2018] I sent the coin to The Royal Mint for verification. Their Chris Barker returned the piece with confirmation that after measuring; weighing, analysing its composition and subjecting it to x-ray fluorescence spectrometry the coin was struck at The Royal Mint. They have found in their files that a very small number of the coins were struck as part of an order from a German company called Progenio. This was to make complete sets of circulating Falkland Islands coins for the year 2003. Chris speculates that the piece was likely broken out of a set for use in circulation. There is I'm told by another RM employee an example in the RM museum.


Mystery solved, though questions remain. See the web page linked to above for more about this coin.

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Does anybody here own a 2003 Falkland Islands coin set that includes the 2 pound coin?

[Alan71]

I think what you show as the reverse of the 2004 coin is actually the 1999-2000 Crown-sized version?  The 2004 has "Falkland Islands" around the top of the cupro-nickel part (as it's not on the obverse), and also the nickel-brass part of the 2004 is thinner, meaning the design on it is squashed.

(The dimensions of the 1999-2000 unfortunately weren't simply those of a larger version of the bi-metal £2 as the nickel-brass ring was too thick).

Not a great example in terms of quality, but notice how there is very little room between the side of the penguin on the right and the rim.  On the 1999-2000 version there is a clear gap.  The entire design is condensed in this way.

[eurocoin]

Although it is certainly a rare coin, the number of known examples mentioned in the Numista catalog in reality is higher. I have tried to edit that in the past but all edits were refused. It seems that the Numista catalog referee of the Falkland Islands may have a personal interest to spread incorrect information about the rarity of this coin.

[Deeman]

On Numista, member INCITATUS18 describes his Falkland Islands 2 pound coin of 2003 here.

He provides images of his coin, which he says is in circulated condition. I quote his post on Numista:

Last July [2018] I sent the coin to The Royal Mint for verification. Their Chris Barker returned the piece with confirmation that after measuring; weighing, analysing its composition and subjecting it to x-ray fluorescence spectrometry the coin was struck at The Royal Mint. They have found in their files that a very small number of the coins were struck as part of an order from a German company called Progenio. This was to make complete sets of circulating Falkland Islands coins for the year 2003. Chris speculates that the piece was likely broken out of a set for use in circulation. There is I'm told by another RM employee an example in the RM museum.

By inference to the statement that Progenio had the 2003 £2 coins minted to make complete circulating sets, I assume that the idea was to have an example of each circulating coin irrespective of common date. I have only ever seen reference to 1p, 2p & 50p coins dated 2003.

[<k>]

Hmm. The mystery continues. 

[<k>]

I think what you show as the reverse of the 2004 coin is actually the 1999-2000 Crown-sized version?  The 2004 has "Falkland Islands" around the top of the cupro-nickel part (as it's not on the obverse), and also the nickel-brass part of the 2004 is thinner, meaning the design on it is squashed.

(The dimensions of the 1999-2000 unfortunately weren't simply those of a larger version of the bi-metal £2 as the nickel-brass ring was too thick).

Not a great example in terms of quality, but notice how there is very little room between the side of the penguin on the right and the rim.  On the 1999-2000 version there is a clear gap.  The entire design is condensed in this way.

Thanks for that. I'd never noticed. I've got that reverse in the wrong place in my 'Milestones' topic. More work! It never stops. 

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See also:

1] Milestones in the decimal coinage of the Falkland Islands.

2] Numismatic heritage: commemorative designs that became standard designs.