2021 H. G. Wells £2 Coin
The 2021 H. G. Wells £2 is a Royal Mint collector issue that was never released into circulation. Value band: small premium. Here is how to recognize it, what makes one worth more and what to check on yours.
- Year
- 2021
- Issued as
- Collector packs and sets only
- Value band
- Small premium
- Designer
- Chris Costello
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 2021 H. G. Wells £2 worth?
This design was never released into circulation. The Royal Mint sold it in brilliant uncirculated packs and annual sets, so almost every example is a collector piece. One found in change is still legal tender at 2 pounds; out of its pack it brings a small premium at most, while a coin still sealed in its original packaging is what collectors want.
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 2021 H. G. Wells £2 rare?
- It is scarcer than most £2 coins. It was never issued into circulation, so most examples are in collector packs.
- How many 2021 H. G. Wells £2 coins were made?
- None were made for circulation. The Mint sold this design only in packs and sets.
- Who designed the 2021 H. G. Wells £2?
- The design is credited to Chris Costello.
- What is the 2021 H. G. Wells £2 made of?
- Bimetallic: cupronickel center in a nickel-brass outer ring. It weighs 12.0 g and measures 28.4 mm.
- Is the 2021 H. G. Wells £2 still legal tender?
- Yes. Every two-metal £2 coin, commemoratives included, is legal tender in the UK.
Why the 2021 H. G. Wells £2 was made
H. G. Wells was born in Bromley, Kent, in 1866 and grew up with little money. He won a place to study science in London, where he was taught by Thomas Henry Huxley. That training shows in his early fiction. His novels The Time Machine, The War of the Worlds and The Invisible Man appeared in the 1890s and helped shape science fiction as a genre. They still drive films and television today. He also wrote on history, politics and social reform. Wells died in London in 1946. The Royal Mint marked 75 years since his death with this two-pound coin in 2021.
The H. G. Wells £2 was never part of the coins sent out to banks. The Royal Mint sold it only as a brilliant uncirculated coin and in the 2021 annual sets. Any example spent in a shop has found its way out of a collector pack. You can still use it at face value: it's legal tender for two pounds, the same as the regular design.
How to recognize it
Chris Costello's reverse brings three of Wells' stories together on one coin. The Invisible Man and a Martian fighting machine from The War of the Worlds stand within a ring of clock numerals, a nod to The Time Machine, with 2021 H.G.WELLS below. The edge reads GOOD BOOKS ARE THE WAREHOUSES OF IDEAS, a line credited to Wells, so check it alongside the picture. The obverse shows the Jody Clark portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. This design caused some debate when it was released, because the Martian machine has four legs, while the fighting machines in the novel famously stand on three.
The other side carries Jody Clark's portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, introduced in 2015 and the last of her reign.
2021 H. G. Wells £2 by the numbers
No circulation mintage exists for the 2021 H. G. Wells £2 because none were released to banks. The Royal Mint's other collector-only £2 coins dated 2021 were Sir Walter Scott.
No commemorative £2 dated 2021 was released for circulation, which is why so many people hunting change for new designs never see this one.
What to check on your 2021 H. G. Wells £2
- Read the edge. It should say GOOD BOOKS ARE THE WAREHOUSES OF IDEAS. 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.
As there is no circulation mintage, a worn Wells £2 is an unusual find in change. The design's quirks only added to its appeal for some collectors. A crisp pack coin draws a collector premium, while a coin worn from pocket use usually has a small premium. The clock numerals and the thin legs of the Martian machine show wear first. A real coin has two distinct metals, a seamless join and an edge inscription that reads clearly and evenly all the way round.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Country | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Denomination | 2 pounds |
| Issuer | Royal Mint |
| Year | 2021 |
| Circulation mintage | None (collector issue) |
| Composition | Bimetallic: cupronickel center in a nickel-brass outer ring |
| Weight | 12.0 g |
| Diameter | 28.4 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Lettered: GOOD BOOKS ARE THE WAREHOUSES OF IDEAS |
| Designer | Chris Costello |
| Portrait | Clark |
Other 2021 £2 coins
| Coin | Circulation mintage | Value band |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 Sir Walter Scott £2 Coin | Collector issue | Small premium |
Frequently asked questions
Why was the H. G. Wells £2 criticized?
Readers of The War of the Worlds quickly noticed that the Martian fighting machine on the coin has four legs, though Wells described tripods with three. The mistake made headlines, but the coin is an official Royal Mint issue and fully legal tender.
Was the H. G. Wells £2 in circulation?
No. The Royal Mint sold it only in brilliant uncirculated packs and the 2021 annual sets. A coin found in change was spent from a pack and remains legal tender at two pounds.
Mintage figures: Two pound coin (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from Royal Mint figures. How we build these pages.