2017 2p Coin
The 2017 2p is a 2p coin struck for circulation with 16.6 million made. Value band: face value. Here is how to recognize it, what makes one worth more and what to check on yours.
- Year
- 2017
- Circulation mintage
- 16,600,000
- Value band
- Face value
- Composition
- Copper-plated steel
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 2017 2p worth?
16.6 million were made, so the 2017 2p 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:
- Full original color
- A coin from a sets-only year
- A recognized variety or genuine error such as the 1983 NEW PENCE mule
For market prices, look at recent sold results for the same coin in the same condition, not asking prices.
Quick answers
- Is the 2017 2p rare?
- No. 16.6 million were made, so circulated examples are worth face value.
- How many 2017 2p coins were made?
- 16,600,000 were struck for circulation.
- What is the 2017 2p made of?
- Copper-plated steel. It weighs 7.12 g and measures 25.9 mm.
- Is the 2017 2p still legal tender?
- Yes. The 2p is legal tender, though 1p and 2p coins together only have to be accepted for payments up to 20p.
The 2017 2p coin in context
The 2017 2p has the second lowest circulation figure of any 2p, after the 2008 feathers coin. The Royal Mint struck only 16,600,000, a sharp fall from 185,600,000 the year before. Card payments were spreading quickly and many coppers were sitting unused in jars and drawers, so fewer fresh 2p coins were needed.
2017 turned out to be the last circulation 2p for three years. None were struck for change in 2018, 2019 or 2020, so the 2017 coin marks the end of regular production before the 2021 restart. It also arrived in the year the 12-sided pound replaced the round pound, a busy period for the Royal Mint and for anyone checking their change. With so many people already looking closely at their coins, the low 2017 figure soon drew attention. It is now one of the dates that modern 2p collectors talk about most. A coin that looks completely ordinary turns out to be one of the harder modern 2p dates to find in change. A quick look at the date is all it takes to spot one.
How to recognize it
The 2017 2p shows Jody Clark's portrait of the Queen in the George IV State Diadem, with JC below the neck and the date in the legend. The reverse is Matthew Dent's section of the Royal Arms shield with TWO PENCE, the design in use since 2008. It is a copper-plated steel coin of 25.9 mm and 7.12 g with a plain edge. Nothing about the design differs from 2016, so the date is the only thing that marks it out. Read it carefully, because the 7 can wear down on well used coins. The 2017 coin was the third date to carry Clark's portrait on the 2p.
The other side carries Jody Clark's portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, introduced in 2015 and the last of her reign.
2017 2p by the numbers
Measured by how many were made, the 2017 2p ranks 2nd lowest of 45 2p dates and varieties from 1971 to 2021. The next scarcer is the 2008 Old Reverse 2p (10.6 million); the next more common is the 2013 2p (40.6 million).
For scale, the most common is the 1971 2p with 1.45 billion, about 88 times as many. The scarcest is the 2008 Old Reverse 2p with 10.6 million, 1.6 times fewer than this one.
Compared with the dates around it, the 2017 output was 11 times fewer than 2016 and 7.1 times fewer than 2021.
Over the 2010s the Mint produced 1.03 billion 2p coins across 11 dates and varieties; the 2017 2p accounts for 1.6% of that.
What to check on your 2017 2p
- Confirm the date. Most dates are common, so the date and any variety decide whether a coin is worth setting aside.
- Try a magnet: 2017 2p coins are copper-plated steel and stick to it. A 2017 coin that does not stick is worth a closer look.
- Look at the surfaces under a light. Coins from sets have unbroken luster and color; change-worn coins are dull and scuffed.
- Never clean it. Rubbing or dipping strips the original color and leaves fine scratches.
With 16,600,000 made, the 2017 2p is far scarcer than most modern dates and worth keeping if you find one. Worn coins are still close to face value, while bright uncirculated pieces can carry a small premium. It is a good target for anyone searching change, because it is low enough to be a challenge but common enough to be found. Keep the best example you come across. Coins with sharp shield lines and unbroken plating are the ones to keep. Store them somewhere dry so the plating stays bright.
Royal Shield 2p (2008 to 2021)
Matthew Dent's shield designs replaced Ironside's in 2008. The 2p shows its own section of the Royal Arms shield with TWO PENCE, joining the other five coins from 1p to 50p to make the full shield when they are placed together. The old feathers design was also struck with the 2008 date, but only 10,600,000 carry it, a small fraction of the 241,679,000 shield coins of the same year.
Ian Rank-Broadley's portrait stayed until 2015, when Jody Clark's portrait arrived and both versions were struck that year. Output drifted down through the 2010s, hitting 40,600,000 in 2013 and just 16,600,000 in 2017. None were struck for circulation in 2018, 2019 or 2020. Production for change resumed with 117,700,000 coins in 2021. Under King Charles III a new 2p with a red squirrel was introduced, though it falls outside this run of Elizabeth II dates.
This is the period with the most interesting modern 2p coins. The 2008 feathers coin, the 2017 date and the 2015 Rank-Broadley version are all worth looking for, along with the years when none were made for change. Every coin here is copper-plated steel, 25.9 mm and 7.12 g with a plain edge. Most are face value. The quickest checks are the reverse on a 2008 coin and the initials under the bust on a 2015 coin.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Country | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Denomination | 2 pence |
| Issuer | Royal Mint |
| Year | 2017 |
| Circulation mintage | 16,600,000 |
| Composition | Copper-plated steel |
| Weight | 7.12 g |
| Diameter | 25.9 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Plain |
| Portrait | Clark |
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2017 2p rare?
It is scarce for a modern 2p, with 16,600,000 made. Only the 2008 feathers 2p has a lower circulation figure. Worn examples are close to face value, while bright ones can carry a small premium.
Were any 2p coins made after 2017?
No 2p coins were made for change in 2018, 2019 or 2020. Production for change resumed in 2021 with 117,700,000 coins. Under King Charles III a new 2p design featuring a red squirrel was later introduced.
Mintage figures: Two pence (British decimal coin) (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from Royal Mint figures. How we build these pages.