The “rarest £2 coin you can find in your change” is what all collectors want. It features a key detail in British history and boasts a mintage of 485,000, so do you have one?
Some pennies are more popular than others, as just recently all UK collectors were urged to not spend the ‘rarest Olympic 50p’ that’s easy to find. But not all rare coins are worth a lot of money.
You could find some which might sell for a few dozens more than face value, while others can be worth hundreds, if not thousands. Now the rarest £2 coin can be in your change and it features a key moment in British history. According to one expert, known as the @CoinCollectingWizard, this piece is “one to look out for”.
Discussing the coin with his 37,200 followers on Instagram, he said: “Rarest £2 coin you can find in your change. If you ever check your £2 coins, this is the one to look for…
“The 2002 Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland £2 is the rarest £2 coin released into circulation. Mintage: 485,500.
“Typical value: around £25–£40 in circulated condition, sometimes more depending on condition.
“You can spot it by the flag of Northern Ireland on the design — there are four Commonwealth coins in the set, but Northern Ireland is the key one collectors want.
“Always check your change… you never know what could be hiding in your pocket.”
What is the 2002 Commonwealth Games coin?
The games were held in Manchester and prior to the Olympics London Games in 2012, it was the largest multi-sport event to ever be held in the UK.
There are four different designs of the £2 coin, all are similar expect that the central cameo features a different flag for the four constituent countries in the UK. This coin represents Northern Ireland.
Why is this coin so rare?
According to ChangeChecker, it scores 100 out of 100 on the scarcity index, making it very rare.
Although no new commemorative £2 coins have entered circulation since 2016, there are still plenty of rare and sought-after designs hiding in your change which all collectors want to get their hands on.
As of November 2025, the 2002 Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games £2 remains in top place on the scarcity index. It is followed closely by England, Scotland and Wales Commonwealth Games £2 coins.
With their famously low mintages, it’s no surprise that all four of these coins featured at the top of the index.
Meanwhile the Northern Ireland coin is the most sought-after £2 in circulation with just a mintage of 458,000, making it extremely difficult for collectors to come across in their change.
