New UK £2 released featuring Ada Lovelace

When you think of the original pioneers of computer science, names like Charles Babbage and Alan Turing might come to mind.  

But what if we were to tell you that there was someone else who played a pivotal role in building the foundations of modern computing – Ada Lovelace.

Nicknamed ‘The Enchantress of Numbers’ by Charles Babbage himself, Ada Lovelace is the next innovator in science to be honoured on a brand-new UK £2.

First, let me take you back…

A Mathematical Talent 

Ada Lovelace was born in Victorian England and quickly gained an interest in mathematics and science. At the age of just 18, Ada’s mathematical talent secured her a working position alongside ‘The Father of Computers’ himself, Charles Babbage.  

This allowed Ada to focus her work on something revolutionary: Babbage’s Analytical Engine – the first ever computer.  

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The Analytical Engine. Credit: Science Museum Group Website

 A Visionary of the Computer Age 

At the time, Charles Babbage and other scientists only focused on the numerical and calculating abilities of the famous Analytical Engine. But, Ada Lovelace had other ideas… 

She was a critical thinker and knew that the computer had the possibility to go beyond number-crunching; she interpreted the machinery further than anyone else was even considering at the time…

Ultimately, she concluded that the Analytical Engine could manipulate more than just numbers. In fact, it could be used for letters, symbols, and most importantly – instructions.  

This built the foundations of modern computing as we very know it.  

Ada Lovelace’s revolutionary contributions were revealed to the industry in 1843 in the form of seven ‘Notes’. In these Notes, Lovelace provided comprehension, calculations and inputs about the machine and its abilities – resulting in her title as the first ever computer programmer.  

And now, to honour such a revolutionary mindset, Ada Lovelace is being celebrated on a brand-new UK £2 coin.  

The Ada Lovelace £2 Coin Range 

Commemorating Ada’s contributions to computer science, she’s earnt herself a well-deserved place in The Royal Mint’s popular Innovation in Science coin series.  

With a design that depicts the original punch cards that were used to programme the Analytical Engine, the coin’s reverse also reads a quote from Lovelace herself – “a discoverer of the hidden realities of nature”.  

What’s more, this UK £2 coin range comes in a range of specifications…  

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UK 2023 Ada Lovelace Coin Range

From the collector’s favourite – Brilliant Uncirculated quality – to the stunning Silver Proof and Silver Piedfort specifications, there’s something for everyone.  

But be warned – with extremely low edition limits and even less for Westminster Collectors, you’ll have to act fast to secure yours!  

Click here to view the full range and celebrate one of the most remarkable minds in British history >>

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