Florence Nightingale is famous for her work in the military hospitals during the Crimean War where she tended to wounded soldiers.
She saw her calling in nursing and volunteered with 38 other nurses, whom she had trained, to help the medical staff when the Crimean War started.
In 2010, the Royal Mint commemorated her life on a £2 coin, but how much is it actually worth?
The coin is not considered particularly rare and it is quite possible you could receive one in your change. According to the latest online auction sites like eBay or Amazon, the Florence Nightingale two pound coin is worth around £3.50 excluding posting and packaging.
Who was Florence Nightingale?
She was born on 12 May 1820, and is named after her birthplace, the Italian city of Florence. Despite being born to a wealthy family, Florence saw her calling in nursing and after working in the midst of the cholera outbreak in London, volunteered to help out and train others during the war in Crimea.
She became known as ‘the Lady with the Lamp’ as during her work in the Crimean War, Florence would nurse soldiers at night. She would carry a lamp with her during her rounds.
She was also referred to as ‘the Angel of the Crimea’ thanks to her tireless work as a nurse to help reduce the hospital’s death rate by two-thirds.
In 1860, four years after the war ended, she laid the foundation of professional nursing with the establishment of her nursing school at St Thomas' Hospital in London.
Her book 'Notes on Nursing' proved to be influential in changing the way hospitals were run and the role of nurses within them.
The release, by the Royal Mint, of the Florence Nightingale £2 coin in 2010, marked not only the 150th anniversary of her publication ‘Notes on Nursing’, but also the centenary of her death in 1910.
Design of the coin
The 2010 Florence Nightingale £2 coin commemorates the 100th anniversary of her death. It was designed by the Chief Engraver at the Royal Mint, Gordon Summers, and shows a nurse checking on a patient's pulse.
This represents both Florence Nightingale's contribution to nursing and all nurses worldwide who have helped others through difficult times in their lives.
Gordon Summers was one of Britain's best artists and his initials, G.S., are well represented on this coin. He has worked on the 2010 Florence Nightingale £2 Coin and is widely known for crafting some of the most memorable and unique coins in today's market.
The design of this coin also recognizes not only her contribution but also those who are still working today, helping people live better lives due to their hard work and dedication towards improving healthcare worldwide.
In the background of the reverse, there is a striking shining light that continues onto the outer edge of the coin.
It is in the centre of this striking design, that you can see the delicate detail of the hands of patient and nurse.
This appears to represent the resilience and strength of nurses and is a testament to Nightingale’s achievements.
On the outer edge, surrounding the upper part of the coin’s design is the inscription ‘1820 – FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE – 1910’. The denomination ' TWO POUNDS' is around the bottom of the reverse.
The edge inscription of the coin reads ‘150 YEARS OF NURSING’ to highlight the anniversary of the release of Nightingale’s book ‘Notes on Nursing’.
The Fourth Portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, in this iteration facing right, is depicted on the coin's obverse. From 1998 to 2015, this design was featured on the two pound coin.
Her Majesty's grandmother, Queen Mary, gave her the diamond tiara known as the "Girls of Great Britain and Ireland" as a wedding present in 1947.
Her image is immediately followed by the letters IRB, which stand for the initials of artist Ian Rank-Broadley.
The famous ELIZABETH II DEI GRA REG FID DEF, which translates from Latin to read Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, Queen, Defender of the Faith, is inscribed around her head and all the way around the outer circle.
Mintage of the Coin
According to official Royal Mint figures, the Florence Nightingale £2 coin has a mintage of 6,175,000 and has been in circulation for more than 12 years. This is not considered a low mintage given the rarest £2 coin, the Northern Ireland £2 coin, has a mintage of just 485,500.
This coin has a slightly higher mintage to the 2014 First World War Outbreak Lord Kitchener £2 coin and 2016 Shakespeare Histories £2 coin, both of which had a mintage of around 5.7 million.
So the Florence Nightingale £2 is not considered to be a rare coin, but it is still a good find if you receive it in your change.
Other collector versions of this coin were made namely, brilliant uncirculated versions, 5,117 Silver proof versions, 2,770 Silver proof piedforts as well as 472 Gold proof versions.
This coin featured in the 2010 annual set along with the famous the 2010 Girl Guides 50p coin.
Scarcity of the coin
The Florence Nightingale £2 has a relatively high mintage and you may have received one of these coins in your change, but it is considered to be becoming more scarce.
How much is the 2010 Florence Nightingale Two Pound coin worth?
The coin in common circulating condition is worth around £3.50 without shipping, which is considerably more than face value and the values increasing.
Where can I buy the 2010 Florence Nightingale £2 Coin?
You can buy the circulated version of the Florence Nightingale £2 coin online on auction sites such as eBay or Amazon but please ensure you look at all the information and reputation of the seller.
Unfortunately, as this coin is now over 12 years old, the Royal Mint no longer stock this coin so it is only available to buy on the secondary market.
Are there any known errors of this coin?
The Royal Mint has not confirmed any official errors for this coin so please beware of any sellers trying to inflate the selling price by claiming they have an error coin.
The writing on the side of the coin can be either one way or the other and there is an equal chance of it being either upside down or the other way, it is not an error.
Bit of trivia...
The achievements of Florence ‘s life are still being honoured today with celebrations, awards, and more.
Nightingale ‘s birthday is recognized as International Nurses Day every year on May 12th. This day is used to celebrate the contributions nurses make to society. The 200th birthday of Florence was celebrated on May 12th, 2020.
There is also the Florence Nightingale Museum located at St. Thomas Hospital in London. The museum is to commemorate the life and career of Florence and holds over 2,000 artifacts.