A special edition £2 coin has been released this week to mark the 500th anniversary of Trinity House, which is responsible for the Lizard Lighthouse.

The Royal Mint has produced the limited edition commemorative coin in sterling silver and 22 carat gold.

The same lighthouse design can also be seen on the 2014-dated circulating versions of the £2 coin, which people are likely to find in their change from October this year.

Each coin is edged with the words ‘SERVING THE MARINER’ and features the image of the lamp of a lighthouse.

Trinity House is the general lighthouse authority for England, Wales, the Channel Islands and Gibraltar.

It was awarded a Royal Charter to safeguard lighthouses, pilot ships and coastal waters by King Henry VIII in 1514, with the anniversary falling on Tuesday.

The organisation is responsible for lighthouses around the country, including at Lizard Point.

The Royal Mint’s Trinity House £2 coin was designed by Joe Whitlock Blundell, production director of The Folio Society, with the help of David Eccles, a retired illustrator and printer.

The commemorative coin can be bought for £10 and comes in a folder that details the origins of Trinity House, together with tales about the organisation.