UK Coins

Olympic Games Beijing Handover to London £2 Coin

Cupro-nickel BU 2008 £2 Olympic Games  Share This Coin:
Fully Reserved - No Longer Available at RoyalMint.com
Olympic Games Beijing Handover to London £2 Coin - Reverse - 2008 UK £2 Coin
Market Value
£20.00
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Coin Description

2008 Olympic Games Beijing Handover to London £2 – Brilliant Uncirculated

Olympic Games Beijing Handover to London £2 Coin Specifications

Weight 12.00 g
Diameter 28.40 mm
Limited Edition Presentation (LEP) 57,346
Obverse Designer Ian Rank-Broadley
Reverse Designer The Royal Mint engraving team

Detailed Information

🏅 2008 Olympic Games Beijing Handover to London £2 – BU
Brilliant Uncirculated (BU) bi-metallic £2 coin issued by The Royal Mint to mark the Olympic Games handover from Beijing 2008 to London 2012 – struck for collectors in limited numbers and sold in presentation packaging.

BU Coin Summary & Key Facts

This is the Brilliant Uncirculated (BU) version of the 2008 Olympic Games Handover to London £2. Unlike the 918,000 standard coins released into circulation, the BU coins were specially struck for collectors and sold in Royal Mint packs, with a presentation mintage of around 57,346 BU coins.

📊 BU Specifications & Values

Core details specifically for the BU version of the Beijing → London Handover £2 coin.

Aspect Figure BU-specific notes
Denomination £2 (Two Pounds) Legal tender UK £2 coin; BU pieces were sold as collectibles rather than released to circulation.
Metal, weight & diameter Outer ring: Nickel-brass
Inner disc: Cupro-nickel
Weight: 12.00 g
Diameter: 28.40 mm 		Same bi-metallic spec as the circulation coin – the difference is in the striking quality and handling.
Year & occasion 2008 – Beijing → London handover Issued to commemorate the official handover of the Olympic Games from Beijing 2008 to London 2012, when the Olympic flag passed from the Mayor of Beijing to the Mayor of London.
BU presentation mintage 57,346 BU Number of BU coins sold in the official Royal Mint presentation pack “The 2008 UK Olympic Games Handover Ceremony £2 Presentation Pack” (LUKHBU).
Circulation mintage (reference) 918,000 Standard coins released into circulation; useful context for how scarce the BU presentation is by comparison.
Designers Reverse: Royal Mint Engraving Team / Thomas T. Docherty
Obverse: Ian Rank-Broadley 		Reverse shows the Olympic flag being passed from one hand to another with the London 2012 logo; obverse has the fourth portrait of Queen Elizabeth II.
Edge inscription I CALL UPON THE YOUTH OF THE WORLD Classic Olympic phrase from the Games’ closing speeches; typically very sharp and readable on BU strikes.
Finish / quality Brilliant Uncirculated Struck using specially prepared dies on clean blanks and handled carefully so the coin retains sharp detail and mint lustre, with none of the bag marks seen on circulation pieces.
Original issue price £6.95 Royal Mint presentation pack price at launch (2008).
Current BU value (guide) About £20 (coin) / ~£33 (pack) Coin Hunter lists a BU value around £20 for the coin and ~£33 for the complete presentation pack based on recent sales data.
💡 Collector Notes – BU Version

The BU Beijing → London Handover £2 is the “collector grade” take on an already scarce modern coin. With only tens of thousands sold in packs – compared to hundreds of thousands in circulation – it has real crossover appeal for £2 specialists and Olympic memorabilia fans alike.

  • BU vs. circulation:
    • Circulation coins were mass-struck and bagged for banks, picking up bag marks and wear.
    • BU coins were carefully struck and packaged, so they should show crisp detail on the hands, Olympic flag folds and London 2012 logo, with bright surfaces and only minimal contact marks.
  • Design details to look for on a nice BU example:
    • fine lines in the “running track” background around the wording BEIJING 2008 · LONDON 2012,
    • clear London 2012 logo on the flag,
    • sharp edge inscription: I CALL UPON THE YOUTH OF THE WORLD,
    • strong portrait detail on Queen Elizabeth II with no obvious flat spots.
  • Packaging matters: Most BU coins come sealed in the official Royal Mint “Olympic Games Handover Ceremony £2” pack (product code LUKHBU). Collectors pay a premium for:
    • packs that are clean, unfaded and undamaged,
    • coins that have not been removed or handled directly,
    • a complete set of any included inserts or literature.
  • Market behaviour:
    • Circulated coins typically sell around £4–£10+ depending on grade and venue.
    • BU coins in their original pack tend to sit closer to £30–£35 at retail, with Coin Hunter’s BU guide value at roughly £20 for the coin itself.
  • Collecting tip: If you’re acquiring the BU version as a long-term collectible, prioritise:
    • original, untampered Royal Mint packaging in good condition,
    • a coin with strong lustre and no obvious spotting or heavy scratches,
    • storage away from heat, humidity and PVC to keep both pack and coin stable.

In short, the 2008 Olympic Games Beijing Handover to London £2 BU coin is a compact piece of Olympic history with genuinely limited presentation numbers – a standout choice if you want one high-quality example to anchor the Olympic section of a modern £2 collection.