Shakespeare Comedies £2 Coin

Summary of Value & Key Facts

The 2016 Shakespeare Comedies £2 was struck for general circulation and can still be found in change today. With a mintage of 4,355,000 it is the scarcest of the three 2016 Shakespeare £2 designs, but on modern rarity indexes it is still classed as a common coin, typically worth only a modest premium over face value in circulated condition.

Core specifications and guide values for the standard circulating 2016 Shakespeare Comedies £2 coin.

The Shakespeare Comedies £2 is the “jester coin” of the set – visually distinctive, thematically fun, and just scarce enough within the Shakespeare trio that people tend to check their change twice when they see one.

• Commemorative theme: Issued to mark the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death, this coin specifically honours his comedies, drawing most directly on A Midsummer Night’s Dream for its theatrical imagery.
• Reverse design: John Bergdahl’s reverse shows a jester’s cap and bells with a jester’s stick (bauble), above the inscription WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE and the date 2016. The design evokes the playful, mischievous tone of Shakespeare’s comic characters.
• Part of a 3-coin Shakespeare set: The three 2016 Shakespeare £2 coins are:
  • Histories – sword and coronet (edge: THE HOLLOW CROWN),
  • Comedies – this jester design (edge: ALL THE WORLDS A STAGE),
  • Tragedies – skull and rose (edge: WHAT A PIECE OF WORK IS A MAN).
  Of the three, Comedies has the lowest mintage, but all are still broadly common in circulation.
• Rarity & scarcity: With 4,355,000 minted, the coin appears on scarcity indexes as “common”, even though it’s the rarest of the Shakespeare set. It’s a nice find, but not on the same rarity tier as coins like the Commonwealth Games £2s.
• Edge inscription “error” myth: Some sellers describe an “upside-down edge inscription” as a rare error. In reality, the edge lettering on £2 coins is applied without a fixed orientation, so about half will read correctly with the obverse up and half with the reverse up. This is not a mint error and does not add value.
• Circulated vs BU:
  • Circulated: Coins from change normally show small contact marks and wear, especially on the jester’s hat and the inner details; these are worth around face value plus a small premium.
  • Brilliant Uncirculated (BU): Sold in Royal Mint packs and sets; BU coins have sharper detail, full lustre and no circulation wear, and typically fetch several times face value.
  • Proof / precious metal: Silver and gold proof versions were also struck in much lower mintages for higher-end collectors.
• Collecting tip: For circulation finds, aim for:
  • clear detail on the jester’s cap, bells and stick,
  • a fully readable WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE legend,
  • an edge inscription that is complete and not badly dinged.
  For BU or proof coins, intact original Royal Mint packaging and certificates help protect value and make the coin easier to authenticate.

Overall, the 2016 Shakespeare Comedies £2 is a fun, literary-themed modern £2 – not truly rare, but distinctive enough in design and theme that most collectors are pleased to keep at least one high-grade example in their set.