The 2004 Trevithick £2 marks the bicentenary of Richard Trevithick's pioneering railway journey. Its locomotive and cogwheel make it easy to recognise, but the design alone does not make every example valuable. The Royal Mint records 5,004,500 released into circulation, so check the edition and condition before comparing prices.

Which locomotive is on the Trevithick £2?

The coin celebrates the Penydarren locomotive and its journey in South Wales in 1804. It was issued 200 years later, in 2004. The Royal Mint's 2003–04 annual report describes the engine hauling iron, wagons and passengers from the Penydarren ironworks towards Abercynon.

Royal Mint engraver Robert Lowe designed the reverse. The locomotive sits inside a cogwheel, with TWO POUNDS above it and Trevithick's name and the dates around the outside. The heads side has Ian Rank-Broadley's portrait of Queen Elizabeth II.

How rare is the 2004 Trevithick £2?

The official £2 mintage table gives the circulation figure as 5,004,500. That is a substantial issue, rather than one of the smallest £2 mintages.

The figure records how many entered circulation. It is not a count of how many still change hands today, and it does not tell us how many survive in a particular condition. We do not have a verified current survival count for this coin.

Is the railway pattern on the edge an error?

No. The incuse railway line is part of the intended design. Incuse means the pattern is recessed into the surface. A normal Trevithick £2 therefore has this railway motif instead of a sentence around the edge. The Royal Mint lists it in the coin's specifications.

A listing that calls the standard edge an error has not established an error. If a different feature concerns you, ask for clear photographs and an explanation of that particular feature before paying a premium.

What are the coin's specifications?

  • Date and denomination: 2004, £2.
  • Weight and diameter: 12g and 28.4mm.
  • Metal: nickel-brass outer ring and cupro-nickel centre.
  • Designers: Robert Lowe on the reverse; Ian Rank-Broadley on the obverse.

Those specifications describe the ordinary base-metal issue. Collector versions require a separate comparison. A silver or gold collector coin should not be valued as though it were the same item as a £2 taken from change.

How much is a Trevithick £2 worth?

There is no reliable single price for every example. Compare recent completed sales for the same edition, checking wear and marks in the photographs. Separate postage from the coin price, and account for any packaging or certificate.

The Royal Mint's fair-price guide is a useful starting point. Our coin condition guide explains UNC, BU and Proof so you can compare like with like.

Explore our current collection

Our current shop specialises in Uncirculated A–Z 10p coins from 2018 and 2019. For a collection with a clear checklist, browse the alphabet coins, then choose the 2018 or 2019 date you need. You can add one missing letter or build your selection over time.