The Royal Mint Commemorates 200 Years of the National Gallery

© The National Gallery © The Royal Mint

• The Royal Mint has launched a collectable £2 coin commemorating the National Gallery’s Bicentenary.
• The coin, which was first released as part of the 2024 Annual Sets, is now available to purchase individually.
• Designed by Edwina Ellis, the coin depicts the iconic National Gallery building in Trafalgar Square

Thursday 18^th April 2024:

A coin to celebrate the 200^th anniversary of the National Gallery has been released today (Thursday 18^th April) by The Royal Mint.

The £2 coin, designed by Edwina Ellis, has been launched to mark the Gallery’s official Bicentenary celebrations and portrays its iconic home in Trafalgar Square. 

Edged around the skilful numismatic depiction of the building’s famous Corinthian columns is an inscription that reads ‘MAIORVM GLORIA POSTERIS LVMEN EST’ meaning ‘the glory of our ancestors is a light to our descendants’. This phrase is inscribed on the ceiling in the Wilkins Building of the Gallery, conveying the notion that the great artists of the past inspire those of the future – a founding principle of the National Gallery.

Rebecca Morgan, Director of Commemorative Coin at The Royal Mint said: “We are delighted to join the National Gallery in celebrating its Bicentenary.  This coin is a fitting tribute to a legacy of world-class paintings and the gallery’s unwavering dedication to preserving artistic brilliance. We hope that collectors enjoy this miniature piece of art for years to come.”

Later this Spring, the coin will be included in a time capsule organised by the National Gallery as part of NG200 celebrations.

The collectable £2 coin will be available in Gold Proof, Silver Proof, Silver Proof Piedfort and Brilliant Uncirculated editions, and can be purchased via The Royal Mint Website.