Samuel Pepys commemorated on new £2 coin

A new £2 coin released to mark 350 years since Samuel Pepys' final diary entry could set collectors back £845.

The 17th Century diarist, famed for accounts of events such as the Great Fire of London and the Great Plague, features on the coin which will not enter general circulation.

The coin is inscribed with words from Pepys' last diary entry on 31 May 1669.

Standard uncirculated coins are on sale for £10, while gold-proof versions are priced at £845, the Royal Mint said.

The coin's inscription - "The good God prepare me" - refers to Pepys' concern that writing in low light was causing him to go blind, Royal Mint researchers said.

Pepys had a connection to the Royal Mint, with his diary revealing he was a regular visitor to its base at the Tower of London.

One diary entry from May 1663 details how the coinage of Charles II was produced.

The commemorative coin, designed by sculptor Gary Breeze, highlights Pepys' contribution to historic understanding and features a quill.

Nicola Howell, director of the consumer division at the Royal Mint, said: "Our latest 2019 commemorative coin is a fantastic celebration of one of Britain's most important historical figures.

"Samuel Pepys' diary had an incredible contribution to our current understanding of the historic events of the 17th Century, so we're thrilled to be commemorating 350 years since his final entry."