Is This A Rare 2 Pound Coin? No Silver Centre

Hi neilb and !

My first thoughts would be (1) environmental damage or (2) possible forgery.

1) The silver-coloured centre of a £2 coin is made of cupro-nickel, similar to the metal used in 20p and 50p coins. If you drop a 20p or 50p coin on the beach or in a park, and it's found a year later by someone with a metal detector, it usually goes a brown colour, similar to the centre of your £2.

2) There are a few mostly Chinese-made fake £2 coins around, often made of the incorrect metals or made wholly of brass with the centre plated with another metal to make it look silver. Your coin looks genuine to me, but if any of these apply, then it's likely to be a forgery:

a) Is it magnetic? (Genuine coins aren't)

b) Does it have the normal edge lettering (STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS), and is it clear? If there is no edge lettering at all, or if it looks faint or crude, them it's a forgery.

c) If you turn the coin around, with the date at the bottom, is the Queen's head the right way up? If the two sides of the coin are misaligned, that's another sign of a forgery.

d) Does it weigh 12 grams? If it's noticeably lighter or heavier, it's likely to be a forgery.

I think it's very unlikely to be an error coin, but perhaps other CCF members have other theories!

Keep us up to date!



to the CCF!

Hi,
Many thanks for your replies. Here is a the answers to your questions.

The silver edge is down to my bad photography skills. I have had another look in the daylight and can not see any silver.

The coin weighs 12 grams (I can do not do any more precise with the scales I have)

It is non magnetic.

Here is a photo of the edge.

Thanks for the extra info. I modify my answer only slightly, to a one-piece casting in a yellow metal.