Olympics Handover To London 2008 UK £2 Brilliant Uncirculated Coin

Olympics Handover To London 2008 £2 commemorative coin issued by The Royal Mint in brilliant uncirculated condition. This special coin marks the official handover ceremony from Beijing to London for the Olympic Games.

The reverse design features the Olympic flag being handed over, with the London 2012 logo positioned underneath. The obverse depicts Queen Elizabeth II, as designed by Ian Rank-Broadley. The edge inscription reads: ‘I CALL UPON THE YOUTH OF THE WORLD’.

Beijing hosted the Games of the XXIX Olympiad after being awarded this honor in June 2001, beating four competitor cities. It was the second time the Olympics had been held in a communist state and the third time the games were hosted in the Far East. The games were widely considered a success, with 87 different countries winning at least one medal.

During the closing ceremony, Beijing Mayor Guo Jinlong passed the Olympic flag to Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee, who then handed it to London Mayor Boris Johnson. This symbolic gesture officially designated London as the next Olympic host city. Following this, a demonstration titled ‘From London, With a Whole Lotta Love’ featured performances by Philip Sheppard, Leona Lewis, and Jimmy Page in Beijing’s Bird’s Nest stadium.

This bimetallic coin features a cupronickel center with a nickel-brass outer ring. It measures 28.40mm in diameter and weighs 12.00 grams. The coin comes presented in its original limited edition packaging from The Royal Mint.