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Brunel 2 pound coin

Issued in 2006, the Isambard Kingdom Brunel 2 pound coin was struck by The Royal Mint to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of the great mechanical and civil engineer. Unusually for these kind of releases, two coins were issued; one coin depicts the man, and the other his engineering achievements.

Brunel is considered one of the world's greatest engineers, and was a leading figure of the Industrial Revolution. As a civil engineer, he masterminded the construction of canals, dockyards, bridges, tunnels, and railway lines. These include the Great Western Railway, and the Clifton Suspension Bridge spanning the River Avon in Bristol.

As a mechanical engineer, his designs revolutionised public transport, steam engines and ships, including the massive SS Great Britain.


Brunel £2 coin

The reverse design (tails) of the Brunel £2 coin known as ‘the man’, features a portrait of Brunel sculpted by Rod Kelly. The edge inscription reads: ‘1806-1859 Isambard Kingdom Brunel Engineer.’

The circulating £2 Brunel coin.

The circulating £2 coin ‘Brunel - the man’.

The reverse of the coin illustrating Brunel's achievements, depicts a section of the roof of Paddington Station: this coin was designed by Robert Evans. The edge inscription reads: ‘So many irons in the fire.’

The obverse of both Brunel £2 coins shows Her Majesty The Queen, as on other £2 coins which were designed by Ian Rank-Broadley.


What is a Brunel 2 pound coin worth?

The £2 coins are common currency and legal tender. The Royal Mint issued 7,928,250 of each of the two Brunel coins – meaning 14,904,500 coins were issued in total. Unlike the rare Kew Garden 50p coins, this makes them far from scarce. Consequently, today the (circulating currency) Brunel 2 pound coin is worth little more than it's legal tender value of £2.

The gold versions discussed below are of course worth far more than £2, and contain 15.98 grams of 22 carat gold making them a very valuable coin.


Gold Brunel 2 pound coin

In addition to the circulating 2 pound coin, both 'the man' and his 'achievements' designs are available as gold bullion proof coins. Like other commemorative gold coins from The Royal Mint, these very collectible coins are available with certificates of authentication, and typically come in presentation cases. A dual set is also available offering collectors the opportunity to get both gold Brunel 2 pound coins in one collection.


The reverse side of both gold proof versions of the Brunel £2 coins.

2006 £2 Two Pound Proof Gold Coin. Brunel, 'His Achievements' on the left, 'The Man' on the right.

These proof gold two pound coins are both VAT-free, and CGT exempt. This makes them popular for both collectors and investors alike.

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