The Trinity House £2 coin was introduced in 2014, so there is a good chance that you will have come across one in your change – but how much is it worth today?
You can expect to pay £3.11 on average for a circulated version of the coin on eBay in 2022, but it could be worth much more if you have a proof version.
Let’s get into the nitty-gritty details of the coin to determine how rare it is and whether you should consider collecting one.
Trinity House £2 Mintage And Other Versions
There were 3,705,000 Trinity House produced for circulation in 2014. This was also the same year that the First World War Outbreak £2 coin was issued, for those who are up to date with circulating coins.
Alongside the regular version of the Trinity House £2, there were uncirculated versions issued for collectors:
| Version | Mintage (Total) | Estimated Value |
| Brilliant Uncirculated In Set/Folder | 24,386 | £10 to £50 |
| Proof First Day Cover | 14,124 | Around £50 |
| Silver Proof | 1,936 | £100 to £150 |
| Silver Proof Piedfort | 1,139 | Around £300 |
| Gold Proof | 279 | £1,000 to £2,000 |
Is The Trinity House £2 Rare?
A mintage of just under 4 million is not considered very small for a £2 coin, and as such the Trinity House £2 is not highly sought after – which is reflected in the sale price.
For some context, this mintage is similar to the Charles Darwin £2 which sells for around £3.21 or the Burns £2 which sells for around £3.05.
The Design Of The Trinity House Two Pound Coin
The 2014 Trinity House coin is the design of Joe Whitlock Blundell and David Eccles. The designers sought out to create an image that would depict the celebration of the 500th anniversary of Trinity House.
They chose an image of the lighthouse beacon with indentations in the coin to represent the light shining out in both directions toward the edges. The inscription around the image reads 1514 TRINITY HOUSE 2014 TWO POUNDS. The light beam indention encompasses both dates on each side of the coin.
The initials of the artists are engraved to the left and to the right of the base of the lighthouse beacon. DME, David Eccles is seen on the left-hand side, just above the “O” in the word TWO.
The initials JWB, for Joe Whitlock Blundell, is seen on the right-hand side just above the “UN” in the word POUNDS.
The milled edge inscription reads SERVING THE MARINER.
Meaning Behind The Coin
Trinity House is the official authority for lighthouses in England, Wales, the Channel Islands, and Gibraltar. It is a charity that dedicates itself to safeguarding shipping and boating.
Trinity House was established with a much longer name by Royal Charter granted by King Henry VIII in 1514 in an effort to regulate boat traffic and pilot behaviour on the Thames.
It was originally known as The Master, Wardens and Assistants of the Guild Fraternity or Brotherhood of the most glorious and undivided Trinity and of St. Clement in the Parish of Deptford Strond in the County of Kent. It has also been referred to as The Corporation of Trinity House of Deptford Strond.
The official purpose of Trinity House is to maintain lighthouses, buoys, and beacons. Trinity House is also a maritime charity. The charity disburses funds to help retired seamen, train young cadets, and promote safety at sea.
In 1566, Queen Elizabeth I released the Seamarks Act that enabled Trinity House to set up beacons to prevent ships from wrecking.
During WWI, Trinity House helped with shipping lanes and naval operations. During WWII, Trinity House kept the seas lit for allied forces. On December 29, 1940, Trinity House was destroyed by an air attack on London. In 1953 under HM Queen Elizabeth, it was restored and reopened.
Trinity House played a very important role in lighting the way for D-Day and the days to follow. Trinity House licensed about 500 pilots by the 1960s.
What Is The Minting Error On The Trinity House £2 Coin?
We were quite shocked at the amount of supposed errors that listings on platforms such as eBay claim to show for the Trinity House £2 coin.
In reality, there are no confirmed errors for this coin at this time. One of the most common things we saw was the edge lettering appearing the wrong way up, but this is due to the inscription being applied before the reverse and obverse designs, and is not an error.
If you see a listing claiming an error version you are better off ignoring it.
Where Can You Buy The Coin?
Look for coins to buy or sell on eBay. This online platform is a quick and easy way to find unique or specific coins. Just make sure you do your homework first. As with any online purchase, you will want to know exactly what you are buying.
The average selling price on eBay.co.uk for the Trinity House £2 coin is £3.23 for this specific coin. As always, the exact price is going to depend upon what condition the coin is in.