Whereas under section 3(1)(a), (b), (cc), (cd), (d) and (dd) of the Coinage Act 1971 We have power, with the advice of Our Privy Council, by Proclamation to determine the denomination, the design and dimensions of coins to be made at Our Mint, and to determine the weight and composition of coins other than gold coins or coins of silver of Our Maundy money, to provide for the manner of measurement of the variation from the standard weight of coins, and to determine the percentage of impurities which such coins may contain:

And Whereas under section 3(1)(f) and (ff) of the Coinage Act 1971 We have power, with the advice of Our Privy Council, by Proclamation to direct that coins made at Our Mint other than gold, silver, cupro-nickel and bronze coins shall be current and that any coin shall be legal tender for the payment of any amount:

And Whereas under section 6(2) of the Coinage Act 1971 We have power, with the advice of Our Privy Council, by Proclamation to prescribe the composition of the standard trial plates to be used for determining the justness of coins of any metal other than gold, silver or cupro-nickel:

And Whereas it appears to Us desirable to order that, to commemorate the centenary of the First World War, the three hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the Great Fire of London and four hundredth anniversary of the death of Shakespeare there should be made at Our Mint coins of the denomination of two pounds in gold, in silver, and in cupro-nickel and nickel-brass, having joined concentric inner and outer sections, being in gold with a different coloured gold outer section, in silver with a gold plated outer section and in cupro-nickel and nickel-brass with a cupro-nickel inner section and a nickel-brass outer section:

We, therefore, in pursuance of the said section 3(1)(a), (b), (cc), (cd), (d), (dd), (f) and (ff), the said section 6(2), and of all other powers enabling Us in that behalf, do hereby, by and with the advice of Our Privy Council, proclaim, direct and ordain as follows:

GOLD COIN

1. (1) A new coin of gold of the denomination of two pounds shall be made, being a coin of a standard diameter of 28.4 millimetres, being circular in shape and having joined concentric inner and outer sections.

(2) Without prejudice to section 1(2) of the Coinage Act 1971, the inner and outer sections may consist of different alloys.

(3) The approximate diameter of the inner section shall be 20 millimetres.

(4) The variation from the standard weight will be measured by weighing each coin separately.

SILVER COIN

2. (1) A new coin of silver of the denomination of two pounds shall be made, being a coin of a standard weight (including the gold plate) of 12 grammes, a standard diameter of 28.4 millimetres, a standard composition (excluding the gold plate) of 925 parts per thousand fine silver, being circular in shape, and having joined concentric inner and outer sections, the outer section being plated with fine gold.

(2) In the making of the said silver coin a remedy (that is, a variation from the standard weight, composition or dimensions specified above) shall be allowed of an amount not exceeding the following, that is to say:

(a) a variation from the said standard weight of an amount per coin of 0.25 grammes for the inner and outer sections;

(b) in relation to those parts of the coin other than the gold plating, a variation from the said standard composition of five parts per thousand fine silver; and

(c) a variation from the said standard diameter of 0.125 millimetres per coin.

(3) The variation from the standard weight will be measured as the average of a sample of not more than one kilogram of the coin.

(4) The approximate diameter of the inner section shall be 20 millimetres.

(5) The said silver coin shall be legal tender for the payment of any amount in any part of Our United Kingdom.

SILVER PIEDFORT COIN

3. (1) A new coin of silver of the denomination of two pounds shall be made, being a coin of a standard weight (including the gold plate) of 24 grammes, a standard diameter of 28.4 millimetres, a standard composition (excluding the gold plate) of 925 parts per thousand fine silver, being circular in shape, and having joined concentric inner and outer sections, the outer section being plated with fine gold.

(2) In the making of the said silver coin a remedy (that is, a variation from the standard weight, composition or dimensions specified above) shall be allowed of an amount not exceeding the following, that is to say:

(a) a variation from the said standard weight of an amount per coin of 0.35 grammes for the inner and outer sections;

(b) in relation to those parts of the coin other than the gold plating, a variation from the said standard composition of five parts per thousand fine silver; and

(c) a variation from the said standard diameter of 0.125 millimetres per coin.

(3) The variation from the standard weight will be measured as the average of a sample of not more than one kilogram of the coin.

(4) The approximate diameter of the inner section shall be 20 millimetres.

(5) The said silver coin shall be legal tender for the payment of any amount in any part of Our United Kingdom.

CUPRO-NICKEL AND NICKEL-BRASS COIN

4. (1) A new coin of cupro-nickel and nickel-brass of the denomination of two pounds shall be made, being a coin of a standard weight of 12 grammes, a standard diameter of 28.4 millimetres, being circular in shape and having joined concentric inner and outer sections, with a standard composition as to the inner section of seventy-five per centum copper and twenty-five per centum nickel, and as to the outer section of seventy-six per centum copper, four per centum nickel and twenty per centum zinc.

(2) In the making of the said cupro-nickel and nickel-brass coin a remedy (that is, a variation from the standard weight, composition or dimensions specified above) shall be allowed of an amount not exceeding the following, that is to say:

(a) a variation from the said standard weight of an amount per coin of 0.5 grammes for the inner and outer sections;

(b) a variation from the said standard composition as to the inner section of two per centum copper and two per centum nickel, and as to the outer section of two per centum copper, three-quarters of one per centum nickel and two per centum zinc; and

(c) a variation from the said standard diameter of 0.125 millimetres per coin.

(3) The variation from the standard weight will be measured as the average of a sample of not more than one kilogram of the coin.

(4) The approximate diameter of the inner section shall be 20 millimetres.

(5) The inner and outer sections of the said coin may contain impurities of three-quarters of one per centum.

(6) The said cupro-nickel and nickel-brass coin shall be current and shall be legal tender for the payment of any amount in any part of Our United Kingdom.

(7) The composition of the standard trial plates to be used for determining the justness of the nickel-brass outer section of the said coin shall be pure copper, pure nickel and pure zinc.

DESIGNS OF THE COINS

5. The designs of the said coins shall be as follows:

‘For the obverse impression Our effigy with the inscription either “· ELIZABETH · II · D · G · REG · F · D · 2 POUNDS ·”, or “· ELIZABETH II · DEI · GRA · REGINA · FID · DEF”, and for the reverse either:

(a) a view across the River Thames of the City of London in flames with boats fleeing the burning city with the inscription “ 1666 THE GREAT FIRE OF LONDON 2016 ”. The said coin will have graining on the edge and in incuse letters the inscription “THE WHOLE CITY IN DREADFUL FLAMES”, save for the gold coin where the incuse letters will be accompanied by a plain edge;

(b) a stylised silhouette of the heads of three soldiers and references the English cubism movement prevalent around the time of the First World War with the inscription “THE FIRST WORLD WAR 1914-1918”, and the date of the year. The said coin will have graining on the edge and in incuse letters the inscription “FOR KING AND COUNTRY”, save for the gold coin where the incuse letters will be accompanied by a plain edge;

(c) a dagger through a crown accompanied by the inscription “WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE 2016”. The said coin will have graining on the edge and in incuse letters the inscription “THE HOLLOW CROWN”, save for the gold coin where the incuse letters will be accompanied by a plain edge;

(d) a cap and bells with a jester’s stick accompanied by the inscription “WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE 2016”. The said coin will have graining on the edge and in incuse letters the inscription “ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE”, save for the gold coin where the incuse letters will be accompanied by a plain edge; or

(e) a skull next to a rose accompanied by the inscription “WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE 2016”. The said coin will have graining on the edge and in incuse letters the inscription “WHAT A PIECE OF WORK IS A MAN”, save for the gold coin where the incuse letters will be accompanied by a plain edge.’

6. This Proclamation shall come into force on the ninth day of October Two thousand and fifteen.

Given at Our Court at Buckingham Palace, this eighth day of October in the year of our Lord Two thousand and fifteen and in the sixty-fourth year of Our Reign.

GOD SAVE THE QUEEN