The 2016 First World War £2 coin was part of a series of coins issued by the Royal Mint to commemorate the First World War, but how much is it worth today?
We’ve scanned eBay, and you can expect to pay £3.02 on average for a 2016 First World War £2 coin in circulated condition.
In the rest of this article, we’ll cover the basics of the coin, as well as other versions that can be worth much more. Let’s get into it.
2016 First World War £2 Coin Mintage
There were 9,550,000 First World War two pound coins minted in 2016, which is quite a significant amount.
This coin is the third in a series of £2 coins first introduced by the Royal Mint in 2014 that commemorate different aspects of the First World War – the entire range of coins can be seen below in the order they were issued:
- 2014 FWW Outbreak coin
- 2015 FWW Navy coin
- 2016 FWW Army coin
- 2017 FWW Aviators – Not in circulation
- 2018 Armistice Two Pound coin – Not in circulation
2016 also marked the introduction of another series of coins that are arguably some of the most popular £2 coins in current circulation.
Other (More Valuable) Versions Of The Coin
As with most commemorative coins, there were other versions of the 2016 First World War £2 issued outside of general circulation for collectors.
These included a silver proof version and brilliant uncirculated versions, and the full list can be seen in the table below:
| Version | Mintage |
| Brilliant Uncirculated (Folder and Sets) | 41,852 |
| Proof First Day Cover | 13,489 |
| Silver Proof First Day Cover | 2,744 |
| Silver Proof Piedfort | 1,387 |
| Gold Proof | 354 |
Is The 2016 First World War £2 Rare Or Valuable?
The circulated version of the coin is not particularly rare as it has quite a large mintage of almost 10 million. For some context, the rarest £2 coin has a mintage of just 485,500.
In terms of value, uncirculated versions of the coin are worth much more, with circulated samples selling for around £3 on eBay.
The Design Of The First World War Army Two Pound Coin
The reverse design of this special two pound coin marks a very important moment in military history. In a design by Tim Sharp, the “Pals Battalions” are honoured on this special commemorative coin.
The image shows three pals marching side by side, shoulder to shoulder. Their silhouettes are facing to the right. The design was based on the work of C.R.W. Nevinson who was an artist of the First World War. The coin’s design is the work of Tim Sharp.
There is a small letter “u” to the far left of the soldiers. This letter is the signature of the agency known as Uniform. The designer of the reverse image for the FWW Army coin, Tim Sharp, was the creative director for the Uniform agency.
Around the outer rim of the coin are the words THE FIRST WORLD WAR 1914-1918. Centred at the bottom on the outer rim is the date 2016.
The milled edge inscription reads FOR KING AND COUNTRY
What Does The FWW Army £2 Coin Represent?
After the war broke out in 1914, the British army soon realized that it was not large enough to sustain the conflict that had spread throughout Europe and the world. Lord Kitchener began to request men to enlist by encouraging them through various campaigns and posters. One that brought friends and family together to volunteer to enlist was the Pals Battalions.
Thousands of men had volunteered to serve their country, but they needed more. They discovered that many more men would enlist if they were allowed to serve alongside their friends or relatives.
The Pals battalions of World War I were battalions of the British Army that were specially constituted. They comprised of men who had enlisted together during local recruiting drives. They were promised that they would be able to serve alongside their friends, neighbours, and colleagues instead of being placed randomly in a battalion. Previously, officers were called into service through the gentry, and the lower classes would simply enlist and hope for the best.
The FWW coin pays tribute to the Pals Battalions that represent the comradery that bound soldiers together in a time of war.
