‘Rarest £2 coin’ with key detail in UK history all collectors want | Personal Finance | Finance
Check your change for this £2 coin (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Some pennies are more sought-after than others, as recently all UK collectors were advised to hold onto the ‘rarest Olympic 50p’, which is surprisingly easy to come across. However, not all rare coins carry a high value.
You might stumble upon some that could fetch a few dozen pounds above face value, while others could be worth hundreds or even thousands. Now, the rarest £2 coin, featuring a significant moment in British history, could be lurking in your change.
According to an expert, known as the @CoinCollectingWizard, this coin is “one to look out for”.
Sharing his insights with his 37,200 Instagram followers, he stated: “Rarest £2 coin you can find in your change. If you ever check your £2 coins, this is the one to look for.
“The 2002 Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland £2 is the rarest £2 coin released into circulation. Mintage: 485,500.”
He added: “Typical value: around £25–£40 in circulated condition, sometimes more depending on condition.
“You can identify it by the flag of Northern Ireland on the design – there are four Commonwealth coins in the set, but Northern Ireland is the key one collectors want.
“Always check your change… you never know what could be hiding in your pocket.”
What is the 2002 Commonwealth Games coin?
The games took place in Manchester and, before the London Olympics in 2012, it was the largest multi-sport event ever held in the UK.
There are four different designs of the £2 coin, all similar except that the central cameo displays a different flag for each of the UK’s four constituent countries. This particular coin represents Northern Ireland.
What makes this coin so rare?
According to ChangeChecker, it achieves a perfect score of 100 out of 100 on the scarcity index, making it exceptionally rare.
While no new commemorative £2 coins have entered circulation since 2016, there remain numerous rare and highly desirable designs lurking in your change that collectors are eager to acquire.
As of November 2025, the 2002 Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games £2 continues to hold the top position on the scarcity index. It is closely followed by the England, Scotland and Wales Commonwealth Games £2 coins.
Given their notably low mintages, it comes as no surprise that all four of these coins feature at the summit of the index.
The Northern Ireland coin is the most coveted £2 in circulation, with a mintage of just 458,000, making it exceptionally challenging for collectors to discover in their change.
