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, 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, there should be made at Our Mint a new coin of the denomination of two pounds in platinum:

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:

TWO POUND COIN

1. (1) A new coin of platinum of the denomination of two pounds shall be made, being a coin of a standard weight (including the gold plate) of 30 grammes, a standard diameter of 28.4 millimetres, 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 platinum coin a remedy (that is, a variation from the standard weight or diameter 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 0.310 grammes for the inner and outer sections; and

(b) a variation from the said standard diameter of 0.08 millimetres per coin.

(3) The said platinum coin may contain impurities of three-tenths of one per centum.

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

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

(6) The composition of the standard trial plates to be used for determining the justness of the said platinum coin shall be pure platinum.

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

(8) The design of the said platinum coin shall be either:

(a) ‘For the obverse impression Our effigy with the inscription “· ELIZABETH II · DEI · GRA · REG · FID · DEF ·” and the date of the year, and for the reverse a depiction of Britannia holding a shield and a trident with the inscription “TWO POUNDS”. The said coin will have a plain edge and in incuse edge letters the inscription “QUATUOR MARIA VINDICO”;’ or

(b) ‘For the obverse impression Our effigy encircled by the inscription “ ELIZABETH · II · DEI · GRA · REG · FID · DEF ·”, and for the reverse a design in four concentric circles representing stages in technological development from the Iron Age to the modern computer, with the words “TWO POUNDS” and the date of the year. The said coin will have a plain edge and in incuse edge letters the inscription “STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS”.’

2. This Proclamation shall come into force on the twentieth day of March Two thousand and fifteen.

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

GOD SAVE THE QUEEN