The First World War 2 Pound

Let’s talk about a coin with a secret life. It’s the World War 1 Two Pound piece. And no, it’s not just old metal. It’s a tiny, shiny time machine.

You’d think a massive global conflict would mean boring money. Think again. This coin is a chunky piece of gold. It’s almost as big as a modern £5 coin.

Why It Exists (Spoiler: It’s About Money)

The UK needed a gold coin worth its weight. But paper money was becoming king. The war made gold scarce. So in 1914, the government stopped making new sovereigns.

But wait. They still struck the Two Pound Gold Piece. Why? It wasn’t for everyday pocket change. It was for very big bank transactions. Think of it as a billionaire’s bus token.

Only 23,020 of the 1914 proof versions were made. That’s it. That’s fewer than the number of people at a small rock concert. Good luck finding one in your couch cushions.

The Quirky Look

The design is a banger. On one side, you get King George V. He looks stern. He looks like he just smelled a bad egg. His beard is immaculate.

Flip it over. There’s a knight on horseback. He’s charging. He’s holding a sword. The detail is so sharp, you can count the horse’s eyelashes.

Here’s the funny part. The knight is St. George. He’s slaying a dragon. During the real war, soldiers were killing each other with machine guns. But the coin shows a guy with a sword fighting a mythical lizard. Peak irony.

A Weighty Problem

This coin is heavy. It weighs 16 grams. That’s more than a whole Hershey’s kiss. Try carrying four of these in your pocket. Your trousers would fall down.

And it’s almost pure gold. 91.67% pure. That’s 22 carats. It’s so dense, you could probably use it as a paperweight for a telephone book.

During the war, people didn’t carry these. They were too valuable. A single £2 coin in 1914 could buy a tailored wool suit. Today, that’s roughly £300 of buying power.

The Great Hoard

When World War 1 started, panic hit. Everyone wanted physical gold. Banks ran out. People started hiding coins in mattresses and socks.

The government got scared. They said, “Stop hoarding!” They even printed propaganda posters. One showed a soldier saying, “Spend your gold for me.” It didn’t work. People hid them anyway.

That’s why so few survive today. Many were melted down. Others are still buried in back gardens. Somewhere, right now, a rusty tin can holds a 1916 £2 coin. It’s waiting for a metal detector nerd.

The “Wartime” Mistake

Here’s a funny fact. Some 1915 £2 coins have a typo. The inscription says “GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX”. The “OMN” part? It means “of all”. But the comma is missing in some strikes. This drives coin collectors bananas.

Another quirk: the edge has tiny writing. It says “DECUS ET TUTAMEN”. That’s Latin for “an ornament and a safeguard”. It’s a pretty phrase. But during the war, it was also a security feature. If someone filed off gold shavings, the words got wrecked. Scammers hated it.

Today’s Value

If you find one, don’t spend it on coffee. A decent 1914 proof can sell for £15,000. A perfect one? Over £50,000. That’s a house deposit in a coin.

But the real fun is the story. This coin survived the Somme. It saw the rise of tanks. It was there when the war ended in 1918. It’s a silent witness to history.

And let’s be real. Holding a gold coin that a soldier maybe kissed goodbye is weirdly emotional. It’s a tangible connection to a time before Snapchat.

How to Spot One

First, check the size. It’s 28.4mm across. That’s the same as a modern £2 coin, but thicker. Next, look for the date between 1914 and 1917. Those are the only war years.

No date after 1917 exists for circulation. The government stopped in 1918. Only a few pattern coins were made. Those are the holy grail. They’re worth a Ferrari.

Finally, flip it over. If the knight looks like he’s having a bad hair day, it’s probably real. But don’t trust a photo. Take it to a dealer. They have magnifying glasses and excitement.

The Takeaway

The World War 1 £2 coin is a rebel. It’s a chunky, gold, dragon-slaying oddball. It’s a reminder that even in the darkest times, people made beautiful things.

So next time you see an old coin, stop. Pick it up. It might be a piece of a forgotten world. Or it might be a button. But hey, curiosity is free.

And if you ever find a 1914 £2 piece? Don’t clean it. Don’t melt it. Just hold it. And wonder about the person who last touched it. They probably needed a bigger pocket.