When World War 1 started, panic hit. Everyone wanted physical gold. Banks ran out. People started hiding coins in mattresses and socks.
The government got scared. They said, “Stop hoarding!” They even printed propaganda posters. One showed a soldier saying, “Spend your gold for me.” It didn’t work. People hid them anyway.
That’s why so few survive today. Many were melted down. Others are still buried in back gardens. Somewhere, right now, a rusty tin can holds a 1916 £2 coin. It’s waiting for a metal detector nerd.
The “Wartime” Mistake
Here’s a funny fact. Some 1915 £2 coins have a typo. The inscription says “GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX”. The “OMN” part? It means “of all”. But the comma is missing in some strikes. This drives coin collectors bananas.
Another quirk: the edge has tiny writing. It says “DECUS ET TUTAMEN”. That’s Latin for “an ornament and a safeguard”. It’s a pretty phrase. But during the war, it was also a security feature. If someone filed off gold shavings, the words got wrecked. Scammers hated it.
