Embark on a Voyage to Discover the NEW £2 Captain Cook Coin Collection

In the summer of 1768, British explorer, Captain Cook set sail for the ‘Great South Land’ on his famous Voyage of Discovery.

250 years on, The Royal Mint announced they would be commemorating Captain Cook’s extraordinary travels with a unique coin series to feature three beautifully designed £2 coins.

This is the first time Captain Cook has appeared on UK coinage and today, the VERY LAST coin in the collection has been released, the 2020 UK Captain Cook £2.

His famous ship, HM Bark Endeavour features on the design and, just like a secret map, when all three coins in the collection are placed together the design can be seen as a whole.

The first coin was released in 2018 and saw huge popularity from Collector’s and explorers alike!

Now the final coin has been released, collectors can finally complete this incredible £2 series.

Voyage of Discovery

Cook’s great expeditions to the South Seas had a hidden agenda –  carrying secret orders from the British Admiralty who hoped for him to discover ‘a Continent or Land of great extent’ to take possession of ‘in the Name of the King of Great Britain’.

On each epic journey, Cook made spectacular discoveries which expanded the understanding of the world beyond known horizons.

Artefacts such as maps, logs, paintings and journals recorded during Cook’s voyages revealed a new and exciting world, transforming the European view of the Pacific Ocean.

By 1770, his first voyage aboard the Endeavour brought Cook to the southern coast of New South Wales and from there he continued northwards, charting Australia’s eastern coastline.

On the 22nd August 1770, Captain Cook fulfilled his mission and claimed the eastern Australian continent for Great Britain.

However, the intrepid voyager did not stop there. He embarked upon two more expeditions in 1772 and 1776 to find an inhabited southern continent in the Antarctic Circle and a passage linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

Captain Cook claiming the eastern Australian continent for the British Crown in 1770. Credit: The Times

Secure the BRAND NEW 2020 Captain Cook £2 coin

You can now own the FINAL £2 coin in the three-coin-series commemorating Captain Cook’s Voyage of Discovery. 

To secure the very last coin in the series, click here.

First look: New Royal Mint coin designs for 2018!

Every year The Royal Mint mark the year’s memorable events and anniversaries that capture the nation’s striking stories on circulating coins, and 2018 is no different.

Today The Royal Mint have unveiled the new themes and designs for all the 2018 commemorative coins, and Change Checkers can look forward to some very significant British anniversaries being commemorated.

£5: The Fifth Birthday of HRH Prince George of Cambridge

The reverse design is by Jody Clark and is an image of Saint George slaying a dragon with a spear. The obverse features Jody Clark’s portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

This £5 coin marks the His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge’s 5th birthday

£2: The 200th Anniversary of the Publication of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein

The reverse of this coin was designed by Thomas Doherty and features the words ‘Frankenstein’ in an electric gothic font, with ‘Bicentenary of Mary Shelley’s The Modern Prometheus’ around the edge.

This £2 coin pays tribute to author Mary Shelley, who, 200 years ago, created an enduring nightmare through her novel Frankenstein, hailed as the first science fiction novel.

£2: The 100th Anniversary of the First World War Armistice

The reverse was designed by Stephen Raw and features the words ‘The truth untold, the pity of war’, from the Wilfred Owen poem Strange Meeting. The words stand out of a mud-like background in the centre of the £2.

The Armistice of 1918, the first step towards ending the horrors of the First World War, is marked by this £2 coin.

£2: The 100th Anniversary of the Royal Air Force

The reverse features the design by Rhys Morgan of the Badge of the RAF. An eagle flies in front of a circle inscribed with the official motto ‘ Per Ardua Ad Astra’, which is Latin for ‘Through adversity to the stars’, with the Imperial Crown at the top.

This £2 coin commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Royal Air Force and its inspirational role in protecting the skies above Britain.

50p: The 100th Anniversary of the Representation of the People Act 1918

Designed by Stephen Taylor the reverse features five men and women in line to vote, with a woman triumphantly raising a voting card. The words ‘Representation of The People Act’ are written under the date 1918.

This 50p coin celebrates 100 years since the passing of the Representation of the People Act 1918, hailed as a landmark for democracy.

The announcement of the year’s coins is always an exciting moment for Change Checkers, particularly when the anniversaries are as significant as these.

And now we can now start looking forward to finding these new designs in our change throughout the year! 


The 2018 Change Checker Commemorative Coin Set

If you can’t wait to find these in your change, be one of the first in the UK to own the set!

Add the 2018 Change Checker Commemorative Coin Set to your collection today >>