This month, London celebrated 150 years of service from their Underground services, with the very first undergound railway opening on January 10th, 1863. To celebrate the feat, Britain's £2 coin has received not one but two makeovers.
The ‘Roundel’ £2 coin is inspired by the 1938 poster by Man Ray (opens in new tab) and depicts the world-famous London Underground logo, while the ‘Train’ £2 coin shows a Tube train hurtling out of a tunnel. The coins are presented in a specially designed pack based on the iconic Tube map (opens in new tab).
The 'Roundel' coin was created by top UK designer Edwina Ellis (opens in new tab), whose work has appeared in London Underground stations since 1996. Her coin also has an edge inscription reading 'Mind the Gap', which we think is a brilliant little touch!
Best-known for their London 2012 Olympic Torch design, the ‘Train’ coin was designed by the internationally-acclaimed duo Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby (opens in new tab). Their design also carries an unusual edge inscription inspired by Harry Beck’s Tube map (opens in new tab).
You can purchase both coins by heading to the Royal Mint (opens in new tab) website.
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What do you think of the new designs? Let us know in the comments box below!