Posts Tagged ‘Coins’
50 years in the making – from 3d to £1: the story behind the new £1 coin
In just a few weeks, Britain’s one pound coin will undergo a major makeover. The familiar round pound will change to become bi-metallic and 12-sided and will also have several new security features. But the shape of this new £1 coin is actually a throwback to the thrup’nny bit – an old favourite from the pre-decimal era.
The 12-sided threepenny is fondly remembered for its individuality. There was quite literally nothing like it before, and it holds the proud title of Britain’s first non-circular coin.
But, of course, it’s not the first major change in the nation’s £1.
I’ve taken a look back at some of the key changes for Britain’s coinage over the last 50 years to welcome the brand new 12-sided £1 coin, when it is issued on 28th March.
The 28th March 2017 is sure to become a historic day as we welcome the new coin which has been billed to become the most secure circulating coin in the world. This will be the first specification change to our £1 coin in more than 3 decades.
But the Thrup’nny Bit deserves recognition for being the inspiration behind our new £1 coin which is sure to become a collecting sensation. The Thrup’nny Bit was eventually withdrawn from circulation in 1971 after the introduction of decimal coinage which didn’t include Three Pence as a denomination. However, its legacy lives on, and is still widely regarded as one of the most iconic coins in British history.
The Story of the new £1 Collector’s Pack
Click here to secure the ‘Story of the £1 Collector Pack’ which has space for you to house the new 12-sided £1 coin once you find it in your change, alongside the UK Brass 12-Sided Threepence Coin.
Britain’s favourite £1 coin – Vote now
As part of the Great One Pound Coin Race, we want to find out Britain’s favourite £1 coin.
Over the next few weeks we’ll be asking you to vote for your favourite £1 designs from each design category – UK, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England.
Let us know your favourite UK £1 coin design by voting in our poll below:
More information about the UK £1 coin designs
The UK Royal Arms £1 was issued in 1983, 1993, 2003, and 2008
The £1 Coin was first issued in 1983 as a replacement for the less robust £1 note – a note lasted for just 9 months on average, while a £1 coin can survive in excess of 40 years. The first £1 coin design features the Royal Coat of Arms designed by Eric Sewell, chief engraver at the Royal Mint.
The UK Crowned Shield £1 was issued in 1988
In 1988 a Crowned Royal Shield of Arms design was introduced. This design features the Royal Arms of Her Majesty The Queen, surmounted by the Crown of St Edward. All coins dated 1988 feature this design as this was the only year it was issued.
The UK Royal Arms Shield was issued in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.
In 2008 a new reverse design for the £1 was issued featuring the Royal Shield of Arms – designed by Timothy Noad. The edge inscription in Latin reads DECUS ET TUTAMEN which translates as; An Ornament and a Safeguard. This dates back to the first machine struck coins minted in 1662 and refers to the inscription itself which was intended to prevent people scraping valuable metal off the edge of the coin – a process known as ‘clipping’.
The UK Royal Coat of Arms was issued in 2015
In 2015 The Royal Mint revealed a new £1 Coin design. Timothy Noad’s contemporary adaptation of the traditional Royal Arms design is one of the last commemorative designs to feature on the round pound coin, with the newly shaped coin due to enter circulation in 2017.
The UK Last Round Pound was issued in 2016
This 2016 £1 coin is the final ‘round pound’ issued by the Royal Mint, calling time on a coin which was first issued more than thirty years ago. The reverse design features the animals that represent each of the four constituent UK countries and was designed by Gregory Cameron. This coin will not enter general circulation and is only available to buy in a Brilliant Uncirculated quality.
Next week- Part 2: What’s your favourite Scottish £1 coin design?
This could be your last chance to secure Britain’s last ’round pound’.
If you want to get your hands on the last ‘round pound’ they are available here protectively encapsulated and certified as superior Brilliant Uncirculated quality.
The Great One Pound Coin Race Starts Today – just 250 days to own a complete £1 Coin Collection
You have just 250 days to collect all 24 Round £1 Coin Designs.
They’ve been a part of our lives for 33 years but the Round Pound Coin will be withdrawn from circulation forever on the 15th October this year.
Starting from today, we’re encouraging collectors across the UK, to join the biggest race of its kind ever held – The Great One Pound Coin Race.
It’s totally FREE to enter the Race and by entering you’ll be able to:
- Collect all 24 circulating £1 coins direct from your change
- Receive collecting tips and suggestions to help you complete your One Pound Collection
- Track your progress with the Change Checker web app or on your FREE downloadable £1 Coin Race Sheet
- Swap coins online with other collectors to help complete your collection
- Win exclusive Gold-plated One Pound Coin Race Participant’s Medals
- Receive exclusive participant’s discounts and savings
33 Years of Round £1 Coins. 24 Designs. Gone in 250 days.
The first £1 coin was issued in 1983
The first £1 coin entered circulation right back in 1983 and featured the Royal Coat of Arms as its design. It was quickly followed the next year with a Scottish thistle design, followed by the Welsh leek, Northern Irish flax and the English oak in subsequent years.
In total 24 different designs have entered circulation with five different series representing the component countries of the UK. The remaining four designs have all been variations on the theme of the Royal Coats Arms. A final, twenty-fifth Round Pound Coin was issued by The Royal Mint in 2016 but it never entered general circulation.
Scarce £1 Coins still available for face value in your change
Of course some £1 coins are much rarer than others. It’s partly because mintages of the different designs vary vastly, from less than 1 million coins to over 300 million. But that’s only part of the story. Older issues are also often more difficult to find, especially in good condition.
The 3 lowest mintage £1 coins come from a series of UK Capital Cities issued in 2010/11
The three lowest mintage £1 coins in circulation come from a series of UK Capital City coins issued in 2010/11, with Edinburgh being the rarest with a mintage of 935,000 coins – just 0.04% of all the £1 coins ever struck.
But it’s still possible to find even these rare coins in your change along with all of the other 21 circulation £1 coins. But only for the next 250 days.
Once the 15 October has passed, you will have little chance of building a complete collection of £1 Coins at anything like their face value. So …
on your marks…
Get set…
Go…
The Great One Pound Coin Race is on. Start your race today, before it’s too late.