Rare £2 and 50p coins released in 2018 – how designs celebrating Frankenstein, the RAF and the end of WW1 could make serious money

EACH year the Royal Mint releases new limited-edition coins to commemorate major anniversaries.

And four new designs have been announced for 2018, with each dedicated to a pivotal moment in the UK's history, but what will they be?

What is the new Frankenstein coin?

The new £2 Frankenstein-inspired design will be released to commemorate this year being 200 years since English author Mary Shelley published her Gothic fiction novel in 1818.

The iconic tale featured a scientist who creates a grotesque creature in an unorthodox scientific experiment.

The coin won’t feature an image of the monster, but one side will have the word “Frankenstein” in the steel-coloured centre.

It will also have the description “The Modern Prometheus” in the yellow outer ring.

What is the new World War I coin?

Keen coin collectors should also keep an eye out for the £2 World War I coin.

This comes complete with the quote "The Truth Untold, The Pity of War" from Wilfred Owen's Strange Meeting poem.

Millions died in World War One, as much of Europe, Russia, the US and the Middle East became embroiled in an international conflict.

Wilfred was virtually unknown in his lifetime, and although he wrote many of his poems between 1917 and 1918, these were largely published after his death at the age of 25.

He died on the Western Front on November 4, 1918, just a week before the signing of the Armistice.

One of Wildfred’s most famous works was the posthumously-published Dulce et Decorum est, which is known for its horrific imagery and anti-war theme.

What is the women’s vote coin?

A 50p coin will also be released among the four, marking 100 years since women over 30 won the right to vote.

The coin will pay tribute to the political moment in February 1918, with a design displaying the Representation of the People Act which made it possible.

The Act also granted suffrage to servicemen aged over 19 and all men over 21, and the first election held under the new system took place later that year in December 1918.

It took a further ten years for women to be granted votes from the age of 21.

What is the Royal Air Force coin?

The other key anniversary to be celebrated in a new £2 coin will be the RAF's centenary.

The organisation has arranged organised two years of events to mark their achievements.

The celebrations will include banquets, flyovers, parades and military tattoos.

Why are the new coins being released?

Dr Kevin Clancy, director of the Royal Mint Museum, said: “This is an important year for The Royal Mint, as amongst our 2018 coin themes are the centenaries of three key events that have shaped the country as we know it today.

“The Representation of the People Act 1918 50p remembers the moment women were first given the right to vote, whilst 200 years of Mary Shelley’s Dr Frankenstein are marked in a £2 coin.

“Two more £2 coins honour moments that will be occupying the thoughts of many this year, the 100th anniversary of the First World War Armistice, and the 100th anniversary of the formation of the Royal Air Force.”

How much money will the new £2 and 50p coins be worth?

You're likely to make a pretty penny if you manage to get a hold of one of these 50p and £2 coins and keep them in your back pocket.

The exact amount is unknown at the moment, but if past coin releases are anything to go by, it will certainly be worth checking your pocket for the designs.

There are currently 37 different £2 coin designs currently in circulation, and some of the rarest are worth up to £50, which is 25 times their face value.

The rarest £2 – the 2002 Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland coin – has recently sold on eBay for between £35 and 50.

Other rare two quids usually fetch around £6-£8 when they are sold on.

In general, the rarer the coin the more valuable it is, and experts at Changechecker.org have created  that tracks which circulating £2 coins are the most scarce and collectable.