The 2014 First World War Outbreak £2 coin holds historical significance as part of a five-year series issued by The Royal Mint to mark the centenary of World War I.
Lord Kitchener, a prominent British military leader, became synonymous with the recruitment campaign during the early days of World War I. His stern gaze and the rallying call to serve one’s country became emblematic of the war effort.
This two pound coin serves as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made during the war and the urgent need for enlistment.
Termed the “Outbreak” coin, it appropriately features the famous depiction of Lord Kitchener and is inspired by the recruitment posters used at the start of the First World War. Lord Kitchener’s image is accompanied by the powerful words: “YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU.”
Lord Kitchener, the British Secretary of War, became synonymous with the enlistment campaign when war was declared on August 4, 1914. His iconic call to arms, urging citizens to serve their country, remains etched in history.
This £2 coin commemorates the outbreak of the First World War and pays tribute to the pivotal role played by Lord Kitchener in rallying the nation during those critical times.
The First World War £2 'Outbreak', was followed by 'In the Grip of Conflict', 'The Horrors of Total War' and 'The Human Cost of War'. The Mint’s five-year series ended in 2018 with an ‘Armistice’ coin with the inscription, ' The guns fall silent '.
Design of the coin
The reverse of the coin showcases an iconic image of Lord Kitchener pointing directly at the viewer.
Below the effigy of Lord Kitchener, you’ll find the famous phrase: “YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU.”
The initials “JB” appear to the left of the date and under Lord Kitchener’s sleeve.
Kevin Clancy, director of the Royal Mint Museum, said the Kitchener coin was the first in a series that would follow the progress of the war over the next five years. "It's got a very familiar design: Lord Kitchener pointing out from the face of the coin, as he did from the contemporary posters, asking people at the time to sign up for the army," he said.
The inscription around the edge of this coin features the foreshadowing quote 'THE LAMPS ARE GOING OUT ALL OVER EUROPE', which was stated by Foreign Secretary Edward Grey on the outbreak of war.
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.
Just underneath her portrait, the artist Ian Rank-initials, Broadley's IRB, may be seen. Her illustrious ELIZABETH II DEI GRA REG FID DEF, which translates from Latin to mean Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, Queen, Defender of the Faith, surrounds her head all around the outer circle.
After the coin went decimal, this particular portrait was on the two pound coin from 1998 until 2015.
Mintage of the Coin
The Royal Mint's official mintage of this £2 commemorative coin is 5,720,000 at which is comparable with the 2005 Gunpowder Plot £2 coin and 2004 Trevithick £2 Coin which both have a mintage of just over 5 million.
Other versions of the coin were issued including brilliant uncirculated versions, 5,483 silver proof, 2,496 silver piedfort and 734 gold editions.
Scarcity of the coin
In 2014, two commemorative £2 coins were made available, The Kitchener £2 coin and the 2014 Trinity House £2 coin, along with the Technology coin which had a mintage of 18,200,000. One commemorative 50p coin, the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games 50p, was also released in this year.
The 2014 First World War Outbreak £2 coin has a fairly high mintage and it is likely you have received one of these coins in your change, so it is not considered to be a particularly rare coin. The likelihood of receiving one in your change is about 1 in 500 of the £2 coins received.
How much is the 2014 First World War Outbreak Two Pound coin worth?
The coin in common circulating condition is worth around £4.20 without shipping, which is considerably more than face value and the values increasing.
Where can I buy the 2014 First World War Outbreak £2 Coin?
You can buy this coin by clicking here.
You can buy the circulated version of the Kitchener £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 10 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...
In August 1914, with retirement beckoning, Kitchener was appointed Secretary of State for War.
Many expected the First World War (1914-18) to be over by Christmas, but Kitchener realised it would be long and on an unprecedented scale. He appealed for volunteers for his ‘New Armies’ and was immortalised on Alfred Leete’s ‘Your Country Needs You’ poster.
For the next year and a half, Kitchener virtually ran the war effort, expanding munitions production and providing the nation with an army capable of meeting its continental commitment.
Kitchener’s influence declined following the 1915 ‘shell crisis’ and the failed Dardanelles expedition, an operation he had supported in cabinet.
Dispatched to Russia on a fact-finding mission, he drowned on 5 June 1916 when his vessel HMS 'Hampshire' struck a German mine off Orkney.