Mint Error 1985 2p On Foreign Planchet

Next online auction: Wed 7th May 10:00am
Next valuation day: Tue 29th Apr 10:00am

Error 1985 2p On Wrong Blank

Sale Date: 23rd April 2025
Estimated Price: 300.00
Gavel Price: £750.00

Item Description

Mint Error - 1985 UK 2p on a foreign planchet. Obverse: Raphael Maklouf's portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, together with an inscription that reads 'ELIZABETH II D · G · REG · F · D · 1985' around. Reverse: Prince of Wales plumes with 'TWO PENCE' above and '2' below. Edge: plain. Composition: XRF tested as cupronickel alloy before grading, approximately 83% copper, 17% nickel. Grade: NGC Mint Error MS 64 (#6380785-005).

Collectors are not usually very interested in 2p coins.

With the exception of the New Pence 2p from 1983, most Two Pence pieces are very common, with millions made by the Royal Mint.

A little-known and mysterious error 2p coin in our 23 April 2025 sale may be about to change that.

This silver-coloured 1985 2p was struck in the wrong metal. After being assessed by third-party experts, it's being auctioned in our upcoming sale of Jewellery, Silver, Watches, and Coins, with an estimate of £300 to £400.

1985 Error Two Pence Coin

The obverse of this coin bears a crowned portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by artist Raphael Maklouf, as used on British currency between 1985 and 1997. The reverse features the badge of the Prince of Wales - ostrich plumes within a coronet - and the words 'TWO PENCE'. The edge is plain, and the coin measures just under 26 millimetres from plain edge to plain edge.

The striking difference is the colour.

In 1985, UK 2p coins were struck in bronze, but this coin has the silver colour of a 50p and the metal composition to match.

Tests using XRF technology indicate that it is made from a copper-nickel alloy, which is the same alloy used by the UK's national mint to strike 5p and 10p coins during this period.

It also weighs less than the expected 7.12 grams, clocking in at just 6.01 grams on the scales.

What Is A Foreign Planchet Error?

Numismatists might refer to coins struck in the wrong metal as having a 'foreign planchet', meaning that the blank disc of metal used to strike them is non-standard. In this case, the planchet may have been intended for a 5p, which is similar in size and weight.

Wrong planchet error coins are generally caught in the manufacturing process and do not enter circulation. That makes examples that come to market very scarce and highly sought-after by collectors looking to add a real rarity to their collections.

This is not the first example of this error to be identified. An 1985 cupronickel 2p previously sold at auction in 2016 and others have been sold on Facebook and eBay.

This suggests the production error affected a small group of coins in 1985, perhaps associated with Raphael Maklouf's new coin portrait introduced in this year. It also means that there are likely more examples out there in circulation or squirrelled away in old money boxes.

Authenticated UK Error Coin

What sets the coin in our 23 April 2025 sale apart, is that it is the first to come to market with authentication from a major third-party grading company.

The Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) authenticates, grades, and encapsulates coins to ensure their quality, preservation, and market value for collectors and investors.

The 2p comes sealed in a labelled holder from NGC, whose experts have chosen to include this coin in their online database of mint errors.