The United Kingdom has a new 12-sided pound coin, introduced on March 28, 2017 . It was designed to be the most secure coin in the world and address concerns about the prevalence of counterfeit round £1 coins, [according to the Royal Mint] . The old round £1 coin ceased to be legal tender on October 15, 2017.
- Shape: It has a distinctive 12-sided shape, making it easily recognizable, even by touch.
- Composition: It’s bi-metallic, with a gold-colored outer ring made of nickel-brass and a silver-colored inner ring made of a nickel-plated alloy.
- Security features:
– Hologram-like image: It features an image that changes between a ‘£’ symbol and the number ‘1’ when viewed from different angles.
– Micro-lettering: Very small lettering is present on the lower inside rim of both sides of the coin.
– Milled edges: It has grooves on alternate sides.
– Hidden high-security feature: An undisclosed security feature known as “iSIS” (Integrated Secure Identification Systems) or HSF (High Security Feature) is embedded in the coin to make counterfeiting more difficult.
- Dimensions: It’s slightly larger in diameter than the old round pound coin, but thinner and lighter. It has a thickness of 2.8mm and weighs 8.75g.
- Original design (2017): The reverse (tails side) featured an English rose, Welsh leek, Scottish thistle, and Northern Irish shamrock emerging from one stem, representing the four nations of the UK. This design was created by 15-year-old David Pearce, who won a public competition.
- King Charles III design (2024): Following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, a new £1 coin featuring the official portrait of King Charles III on the obverse (heads side) and two bees on the reverse entered circulation in August 2024. This design is part of a collection inspired by the King’s love of the natural world and features other flora and fauna from across the UK on different denominations.
In conclusion, the new 12-sided £1 coin introduced in 2017 is a technologically advanced and highly secure coin designed to combat counterfeiting. It features a range of visible and hidden security elements, along with a distinctive shape and composition. While the original design showcased symbols of the UK’s four nations, the latest iteration features King Charles III and a design celebrating the natural world.
Is there a new pound coin?
When the twelve-sided coin was introduced in 2017, Queen Elizabeth II’s fifth coin portrait designed by Jody Clark featured on its obverse side. Following Her Majesty’s passing on 8 September 2022, it was replaced by King Charles III’s first portrait created by Martin Jennings.
Can you still use old 1 pound coins?
From my experience, The round £1 coin lost its legal tender status at midnight on 15 October 2017. However, the round £1 coin can continue to be deposited into a customer’s account at most High Street Banks in the UK.
Is the King Charles Pound coin worth anything?
King Charles base set
When these coins were released they were issued as a commemorative base set, which sold for anywhere between £34 and £100, depending on where you bought it. But now, those sets regularly sell at Ebay auction for £150, meaning you could make money if you’re willing to sell it on.
Do old and new pound coins weigh the same?
7) How much does £1 weigh? The £1 coin weighs 8.75 grams and has a diameter of 23.03 mm. It is a bimetallic coin made from nickel-brass and nickel-plated steel and was introduced in 2017 as a more secure alternative to the older round pound.