2005 End of World War II (VE Day 60) £2 Coin
The 2005 End of World War II (VE Day 60) £2 is a circulating £2 with 10.2 million made. Value band: face value. Here is how to recognize it, what makes one worth more and what to check on yours.
- Year
- 2005
- Circulation mintage
- 10,191,000
- Value band
- Face value
- Designer
- Bob Elderton
Original illustration of the coin's shape and metal. Tap to flip. Not a picture of the actual design.
Face value · Small premium · Collector premium · Significant rarity. We use bands because prices change daily.
What is a 2005 End of World War II (VE Day 60) £2 worth?
10.2 million were made, so the 2005 End of World War II (VE Day 60) £2 is easy to find. A circulated one is worth face value; collectors pay a little more only for uncirculated coins and coins still in their original Royal Mint pack.
What would make yours worth more:
- Uncirculated condition with crisp edge lettering
- Original Royal Mint pack or presentation folder
- A genuine mint error such as a misaligned or wrong edge, confirmed by an expert
For market prices, look at recent sold results for the same coin in the same condition, not asking prices.
Quick answers
- Is the 2005 End of World War II (VE Day 60) £2 rare?
- No. 10.2 million were made, so circulated examples are worth face value.
- How many 2005 End of World War II (VE Day 60) £2 coins were made?
- 10,191,000 were struck for circulation.
- Who designed the 2005 End of World War II (VE Day 60) £2?
- The design is credited to Bob Elderton.
- What is the 2005 End of World War II (VE Day 60) £2 made of?
- Bimetallic: cupronickel center in a nickel-brass outer ring. It weighs 12.0 g and measures 28.4 mm.
- Is the 2005 End of World War II (VE Day 60) £2 still legal tender?
- Yes. Every two-metal £2 coin, commemoratives included, is legal tender in the UK.
Why the 2005 End of World War II (VE Day 60) £2 was made
Victory in Europe Day, 8 May 1945, brought huge crowds onto the streets of London and other cities as Germany's surrender ended the war in Europe. Winston Churchill broadcast to the nation that afternoon. The royal family came out onto the balcony of Buckingham Palace again and again to greet the crowds. Princess Elizabeth and her sister Margaret were allowed to slip out of the palace that night to join the celebrations unrecognized. During the Blitz, St Paul's Cathedral had come through the bombing standing above the smoke. It had become a symbol of London's survival.
Sixty years later, in 2005, the Royal Mint issued a £2 for the anniversary, picking up the theme of the 1995 dove coin. It was struck in very large numbers, 10,191,000 for circulation, the highest figure among the commemorative £2 coins from 1986 to 2007. That makes it one of the most familiar designs in change. The anniversary was marked with events across the country. For many families the coin became a small keepsake of grandparents' memories of that day.
How to recognize it
Bob Elderton's reverse shows St Paul's Cathedral illuminated by searchlights, with TWO POUNDS above and the dates 1945 and 2005 below. The dome and the beams of light are the quickest way to recognize it. On the edge are the words IN VICTORY MAGNANIMITY IN PEACE GOODWILL, lines Churchill attached to his war memoirs. The 1995 £2 used the phrase IN PEACE GOODWILL on its edge, so the two coins make a matched pair a decade apart. The obverse carries Ian Rank-Broadley's portrait. The coin has a silver-colored center inside a gold-colored ring. Among the £2 coins of 1986 to 2007, it is the only one to show a cathedral.
The other side carries Ian Rank-Broadley's portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, used from 1998 to 2015.
2005 End of World War II (VE Day 60) £2 by the numbers
Measured by how many were made, the 2005 End of World War II (VE Day 60) £2 is the most common of 42 circulating £2 coins with a published mintage. The next scarcer is the 2016 The Army £2 (9.55 million).
2005 brought 1 other circulating £2 design: the Gunpowder Plot (5.14 million). The 2005 End of World War II (VE Day 60) £2 was the most plentiful of the year.
What to check on your 2005 End of World War II (VE Day 60) £2
- Read the edge. It should say IN VICTORY MAGNANIMITY IN PEACE GOODWILL. A wrong or missing edge inscription is the quickest sign of a counterfeit.
- Check the two metals: a silver-colored center and a gold-colored ring, with the ring tight and level all the way around.
- Weigh it: a genuine two-metal £2 weighs 12.0 g. Fakes are often a little light and softer in detail.
- Compare the portrait and lettering with a known genuine coin. Blurry letters, a flat portrait or uneven spacing point to a copy.
With more than ten million struck for circulation, this is one of the most common commemorative £2 coins of its era and a face value coin when worn. Even uncirculated examples rarely bring more than a small premium. That doesn't make it dull: the dome and searchlights hold detail well. A bright example is a fine piece for anyone interested in the war. Common coins are counterfeited too, so the usual checks still apply: clean edge letters, two distinct metal colors and a center that sits firmly in the ring.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Country | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Denomination | 2 pounds |
| Issuer | Royal Mint |
| Year | 2005 |
| Circulation mintage | 10,191,000 |
| Composition | Bimetallic: cupronickel center in a nickel-brass outer ring |
| Weight | 12.0 g |
| Diameter | 28.4 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Lettered: IN VICTORY MAGNANIMITY IN PEACE GOODWILL |
| Designer | Bob Elderton |
| Portrait | Rank-Broadley |
Other 2005 £2 coins
| Coin | Circulation mintage | Value band |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 Gunpowder Plot £2 Coin | 5,140,500 | Face value |
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2005 VE Day £2 rare?
No. It's one of the most common commemorative £2 coins, with 10,191,000 struck for circulation. Worn examples are face value coins and even uncirculated ones bring only a small premium. Its appeal is historical rather than scarcity.
What building is on the 2005 £2 coin?
St Paul's Cathedral in London, lit by searchlights. The coin marked sixty years since VE Day in 1945. Don't confuse it with the 2005 Gunpowder Plot £2, which shows croziers, maces and swords instead of a building.
Mintage figures: Two pound coin (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from Royal Mint figures. How we build these pages.