This coin is beefy. It’s thicker and heavier than a normal pound coin, because it's actually worth two of them. It’s a bimetallic beast—silver-colored center with a gold-colored ring.
It debuted in 2014 to mark the centenary of the First World War. But here’s the kicker: it’s not just one coin. It’s a five-coin series, released one per year from 2014 to 2018.
Coin #1: 2014 – The Outbreak
That first one shows a soldier waving. He’s saying goodbye, not knowing what’s coming. It’s poignant, but also odd—why is he so cheerful?
Designer John Bergdahl wanted to capture the naive enthusiasm of 1914. People thought the war would be over by Christmas. Spoiler: it wasn’t.
Coin #2: 2015 – The Reality
This one shows a soldier holding his rifle, looking exhausted. The detail is stark. You can almost feel the mud.
It’s called “The Storm of Steel.” That’s a reference to a famous war memoir. Heavy stuff for a coin you’d use to buy a bag of crisps.
Coin #3: 2016 – The Battle of the Somme
Now we’re getting grim. This coin depicts tanks and barbed wire. It’s the first time a British coin showed modern warfare so directly.
Fun fact: The Royal Mint had to get special permission to show tanks. Because apparently, coins are usually about queens and flowers. Not death machines.
£2 coin Rare 2 Pound Coin, The First World War mintingError 1914-1918
Coin #4: 2017 – The End is Near
This one shows a soldier staring at a cemetery cross. It’s haunting. You can see a poppy in the background, which became a global symbol of remembrance.
It also includes the words “To the Unknown Warrior.” That’s a nod to the tomb of the unknown soldier at Westminster Abbey. Chills, right?
Coin #5: 2018 – Peace at Last
The final coin is the only one with a happy ending. It shows a dove and an olive branch. It’s simple, almost too clean for a series that started with chaos.
But that’s the point. The series takes you from “yay, war!” to “oh no, war” to “never again.” It’s a whole movie, but you can hold it in your hand.
