New 2008 commemorative £2 coins celebrating the centenary of the 4th Olympiad in London are available from the British Royal Mint. The attractive, limited edition commemorative coins comes in Brilliant Uncirculated and Proof versions with each bearing a unique reverse design honouring the centenary of the London Olympic Games of 1908.
Also in celebration, special £2 Gold Proof commemorative coins were minted.
The British Royal Mint provided a brief history for the Olympic Games and marked the value in commemorating the centenary celebration.
The first modern Olympic Games took place in Athens in 1896, the vision of Baron Pierre de Coubertin. His dream was to bring together people of the world in a spirit of friendly competition where leading athletes could strive for victory and personal excellence. The Olympic Games have become the greatest sporting event in the world. The first time they were held in London was in 1908 at a purpose-built stadium in White City, London.
The designers and specifications of the 2008 4th Olympiad London Anniversary £2 Coin
The obverse or heads side of the commemorative coin has an image of Her Majesty The Queen by Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS.
The reverse or tails side of the coin features a running track, symbolizing the Olympic Games, and was created by Royal Mint engraver Thomas T. Docherty. Within the track is the 1908 anniversary date and circling the track itself are the words, "LONDON OLYMPIC CENTENARY".
The coin also has an incuse edge inscription, "THE 4TH OLYMPIAD LONDON".
Mr. Docherty said of the commemorative design:
“On designing the 1908 £2 coin I focused more on the ethos of the Olympic Games rather than London. I wanted to use an iconic image of the Games, which I initially found difficult due to the number of events. After further research, I discovered that track events featured predominantly. By using the track image I could create a dynamic perspective that acts as a timeline from 1908 to the London Games of 2012. The lettering style is a direct reference to the original 1908 Prize Medal which acts as a way of marrying the old and the new.”
Coin Specifications
|
Denomination
|
Composition
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Weight
|
Diameter
|
|
| Gold Proof |
£2
|
22 Carat Gold
|
15.98 grams
|
28.4 mm
|
| Brilliant Uncirculated |
£2
|
Bi-metal
|
12 grams
|
28.4 mm
|
Commemorative coin order information and prices
The 2008 Commemorative Coin can be purchased within several Royal Mint products.
2008 4th Olympiad London Anniversary £2 Gold Proof
The gold proof coin is limited to 1,908 sets and is available to UK customers only.
The price:
- £450.00 (GBP)
The presentation folder with coin can be ordered online through the British Royal Mint page, 2008 4th Olympiad London Anniversary £2 Gold Proof. Phone orders should be directed to 0845 60 88 222.
The special 2008 4th Olympiad London Anniversary £2 Presentation Folder
The attractive folder contains one Brilliant Uncirculated coin and is filled with images and information pertaining to the Olympic Games in 1908. It’s limited to 100,000 sets and is available to UK customers only.
The price:
- £7.95 (GBP)
The presentation folder with coin can be ordered online through the British Royal Mint page, 2008 4th Olympiad London Anniversary £2 Presentation Folder. Phone orders should be directed to 0845 60 88 222.
2008 Executive Proof Coin Set
The oak veneer case for Executive Proof Set of 2008 contains 11 coins, is limited to 5,000 sets and is available to UK customers only.
In addition to the £2 coin commemorating the centenary of the 4th Olympiad, two other proof commemorative coins are included: one coin celebrating the 450th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth I and the other honouring the 60th birthday of Prince Charles.
Also within the set are 8 proof coins comprising the United Kingdom’s legal tender coins for 2008.
The price is:
- £79.95
The set can be ordered online through the British Royal Mint page, 2008 Executive Proof Coin Set. Phone orders should be directed to 0845 60 88 222.
2008 Deluxe Proof Coin Set
The black leather case for the Deluxe Proof Coin Set is available to UK customers only. It contains the same 11 coins included in the 2008 Executive Proof Coin Set and is limited to 15,000 sets.
The price is:
- £49.95
The set can be ordered online through the British Royal Mint page, 2008 Deluxe Proof Coin Set. Phone orders should be directed to 0845 60 88 222.
2008 Standard Proof Coin Set
The black case for the 2008 Standard Proof Coin Set is available to UK customers only. It contains the same 11 coins included in the 2008 Executive Proof Coin Set and is limited to 30,000 sets.
The price is:
- £39.95
The set can be ordered online through the British Royal Mint page, 2008 Standard Proof Coin Set. Phone orders should be directed to 0845 60 88 222.
2008 Brilliant Uncirculated Coin Set
The 2008 Brilliant Uncirculated Coin Set is available to UK customers only and is limited to 250,000 sets. It contains the 4th Olympiad London Anniversary £2 Coin along with 8 other coins comprising the United Kingdom’s legal tender coins for 2008
The price is:
- £16.95
The set can be ordered online through the British Royal Mint page, 2008 Brilliant Uncirculated Coin Set. Phone orders should be directed to 0845 60 88 222.
2008 Family Silver Collection
The Family Silver Collection includes two crowns celebrating the 60th birthday of His Majesty The Prince of Wales and the 450th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth I, the Britannia £2 coin with its brand new design, the £2 coin commemorating the centenary of the London Olympic Games and the £1 coin bearing the Royal Arms on the occasion of the coin’s 25th anniversary.
The collection is limited to only 5,000 sets and is available to UK customers only.
The price is:
- £179.95
The set can be ordered online through the British Royal Mint page, 2008 Family Silver Collection. Phone orders should be directed to 0845 60 88 222.
Specialized Sets and Collections
Finally, the Olympiad commemorative coin may also be found in several specialized sets and collections, including:
2008 Christmas Brilliant Uncirculated Coin Set (Three Wise Men)
2008 Christmas Brilliant Uncirculated Coin Set (Father Christmas)
