14 Comments
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Zena Birch's avatar

Genuinely, at the beginning of your fourth paragraph, as you stated they need to be shrunk down, my FIRST thought was, NO!!! I love how weighty and impressive they look in the little plastic tub I hold in arcades at the seaside....so reading on, I was relieved to see you had at least taken this into account! I love the medieval nature of this coin. In a world where all I seem to have to do is waft my bank card somewhere in the environs of a machine, I love the real life feel of the big old 2p coin. I have (an irrational) hatred of the 5 pence piece since it was shrunk. Leave my big old coppery rattler alone!!!

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Annabel Port's avatar

Well you have shaken my world. It never occurred to me to like it but now I’m wondering if I could even grow to love it.

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Abi's avatar

The 2p coin fits into $1 coin slots in Canada so (for anyone dishonest enough to try it) the 2p coin shoots up in value to a whopping 60p, which rather better justifies its size.

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Annabel Port's avatar

I will remember this when I get to go to Canada!

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Jeanette Esau's avatar

When you’ve sorted out the 2P coin, could you have a word with the US Mont about out tiny, lightweight 10 cent coin (dime) and our chubby, larger 5 cent coin(nickel)?

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Annabel Port's avatar

So it’s an international problem! I’m on the case.

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Colin Anderton's avatar

I've googled why the 2p coin is so big, and there's a Quora post (coin-pushing machines), a Reddit (a video, can't be bothered) and then your sub stack! Is this really only the 3rd time this has been questioned, or is somebody is trying to silence the 2p shrinkers? Be careful.

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Annabel Port's avatar

I'm feeling a bit nervous now. May delete this post. Thanks for the heads up.

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Lauréline van Kapel's avatar

The 1p piece weighed twice the weight of the 1/2p piece, and the 2p piece twice the weight of the 1p

So they could have made the coins fatter or bigger. They chose bigger.

In 1992 they changed its composition from bronze to copper-plated steel because of the price of copper meant the coin was worth more than 2p melted down

You would have thought it an apt moment to shrink it, but Big-Vending got in the way 😁

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Annabel Port's avatar

Big-Vending!!! Haha! Love this.

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Izzy M's avatar

So glad someone has finally raised this issue - why does it have to be double the size and weight of the 1p??? Also, who even needs a 2 pence coin (apart from the people playing in those seaside town arcades), why can’t we just price things in denominations of 5?

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Annabel Port's avatar

I think we can definitely get rid of coppers. Although I still miss the tiny half pence piece.

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Kirsty's avatar

Sorry but I think we all need to know the reasons that led you to ring the company in Kent. That's far too juicy a teaser to leave us with!

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Annabel Port's avatar

Ha! I’ve signed the Official Secrets Act (again) so can say no more.

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