9 - Decimal One Pound
Decimal Fifty Pence <<-- :
-->> Decimal Two Pounds
Values of Decimal £1 and £2 coins
Pictures of Decimal One Pound coins on www.ukcoinpics.co.uk
Introduction
Inflation resulted in the replacement of the one pound note in 1983.
At first the introduction of a coin for this denomination for the
first time since the First World War was not very popular. However
the coin has now been accepted.
After the fiasco of the attempt by the US Government to introduce a
dollar coin in 1979, an number of lessons were learnt.
- The coin was made of a different colour alloy, making it easy to distinguish.
- It was made much thicker than normal for two reasons:
- to make it easy to distinguish by touch
- to make it more or less the same diameter as the gold sovereign
(It is in fact heavier than a sovereign).
- The pound note was rapidly withdrawn once sufficient of the coins were
in circulation, forcing its use by the public. The notes were demonetised
on 11th March 1988.
- Slot machine manufacturers were consulted in good time to allow
modification of existing machines. (n.b. I have to be careful here,
as US readers will think I mean only gaming machines, whereas I
mean all machines that take coins through slots, including what US
readers would call vending machines!)
Edge Inscriptions
All one pound coins have an edge inscription as a security measure.
As the edge inscriptions are stamped on the edge of blank coins before striking,
they can (and do) appear either way up in theoretically equal quantities.
The One Pound coin was introduced in 1983 as inflation had reduced the
purchasing of the note to a very low level.
One of the most interesting characteristics of this coin is the change
in design each year, covering each of the countries that comprise
the United Kingdom, and the use of an edge inscription for security.
The one pound coin weighs 9.50 grams and has a diameter of 22.50 mm.
(the sovereign weighs 8.0 grams and is 22 mm diameter). Most if not all
issues are available as sterling silver proofs of the same weight and diameter.
There are three obverse types that have been used:
- First Portrait, inscription ELIZABETH II D G REG F D <date>
starting top right
Used from 1983 to 1984.
- Second Portrait, inscription ELIZABETH II D G REG F D <date>
starting low left
Used from 1985 to 1997.
- Third Portrait, inscription ELIZABETH II D G REG F D <date>
starting low left. Initials IRB below bust.
Used from 1998.
There are five edge inscriptions that have been used. All of them are superimposed
on a reeded edge, and are applied to the blanks before the coin is struck. Thus there
is a 50% chance of the edge inscription being a particular way up. Blanks with
the edge inscription but no design or edge reeding have been found in circulation,
but are very rare.
- DECUS ET TUTAMEN, meaning 'An Ornament and a Safeguard'
Used on British, English and Northern Ireland designs.
- NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSIT, meaning 'No-one provokes me with impunity',
which is the Latin Motto of the Order of the Thistle.
Used on Scottish designs.
- PLEIDOL WYF I'M GWLAD, meaning 'True am I to my country', taken
from the Welsh National Anthem.
Used on Welsh designs.
- A pattern of lozenges representing the cantilevers of the Forth Rail Bridge.
Used on the 2004 Scottish design.
- A pattern representing bridges and pathways (which looks much the same as
that for 2004).
Used on the 2005 Welsh, 2006 Irish and 2007 English designs.
There have been 22 distinct types of pound coin in the 26 years
that it has been issued, with new designs from 1994 on, and again from 2004 onwards:
- Obverse: First Portrait.
Reverse: Ornamental Royal Arms, ONE POUND below. There are 100 beads around the edge,
representing the 100 pence in a pound.
Edge: DECUS ET TUTAMEN
Issued in 1983 (UK design)
- Obverse: First Portrait.
Reverse: Thistle Sprig in Coronet, ONE POUND below.
Edge: NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSIT
Issued in 1984 (Scottish design)
- Obverse: Second Portrait.
Reverse: Leek in Coronet, ONE POUND below.
Edge: PLEIDOIL WYF I'M GWLAD
Issued in 1985 and 1990 (Welsh design). The 1985 coin has an edge inscription
2.0 mm high, while that for the 1990 coin is distinctly different and only 1.7 mm high.
- Obverse: Second Portrait.
Reverse: Flax in Coronet, ONE POUND below.
Edge: DECUS ET TUTAMEN
Issued in 1986 and 1991 (Northern Ireland design). The 1986 coin has an edge inscription
2.0 mm high, while that for the 1991 coin is distinctly different and only 1.7 mm high.
- Obverse: Second Portrait.
Reverse: Oak Tree in Coronet, ONE POUND below.
Edge: DECUS ET TUTAMEN
Issued in 1987 and 1992 (English design). The 1987 coin has an edge inscription
2.0 mm high, while that for the 1992 coin is distinctly different and only 1.7 mm high.
- Obverse: Second Portrait.
Reverse: Crown over shield, ONE POUND below.
Edge: DECUS ET TUTAMEN
Issued in 1988 (UK design)
- Obverse: Second Portrait.
Reverse: Thistle Sprig in Coronet, ONE POUND below, as 1984.
Edge: NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSIT
Issued in 1989 (Scottish design)
- Obverse: Second Portrait.
Reverse: Ornamental Royal Arms, ONE POUND below, as 1983.
Edge: DECUS ET TUTAMEN
Issued in 1993 (UK design)
- Obverse: Second Portrait.
Reverse: Lion Rampant in border, ONE POUND below.
Edge: NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSIT
Issued in 1994 (Scottish design)
- Obverse: Second Portrait.
Reverse: Welsh Dragon, ONE POUND below.
Edge: PLEIDOIL WYF I'M GWLAD
Issued in 1995 (Welsh design)
- Obverse: Second Portrait.
Reverse: Celtic cross and pimpernel, ONE POUND below.
Edge: DECUS ET TUTAMEN
Issued in 1996 (Northern Ireland design)
- Obverse: Second Portrait.
Reverse: Three lions passant guardant, ONE POUND below.
Edge: DECUS ET TUTAMEN
Issued in 1997 (English design)
- Obverse: Third Portrait.
Reverse: Ornamental Royal Arms, ONE POUND below, as for 1983 and 1993.
Edge: DECUS ET TUTAMEN
Issued in 1998 (in proof and uncirculated sets only), 2003 and 2008 (UK design).
At present pound coins of this type dated 2008 are only available in proof and uncirculated Royal Mint sets.
- Obverse: Third Portrait.
Reverse: Lion Rampant in border, ONE POUND below, as 1994.
Edge: NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSIT
Issued in 1999 (Scottish design) in proof and uncirculated sets only. Not issued for circulation.
- Obverse: Third Portrait.
Reverse: Welsh Dragon, ONE POUND below, as 1995.
Edge: PLEIDOIL WYF I'M GWLAD
Issued in 2000 (Welsh design).
- Obverse: Third Portrait.
Reverse: Celtic cross and pimpernel, ONE POUND below, as 1996.
Edge: DECUS ET TUTAMEN
Issued in 2001 (Northern Ireland design).
- Obverse: Third Portrait.
Reverse: Three lions passant guardant, ONE POUND below, as 1997.
Edge: DECUS ET TUTAMEN
Issued in 2002 (English design).
- Obverse: Third Portrait.
Reverse: Forth Railway Bridge, ONE POUND below, rail track around.
Edge: Zig-zag pattern representing the cantilevers of the Forth Rail Bridge.
Issued in 2004 (Scottish design).
- Obverse: Third Portrait.
Reverse: Menai Suspension Bridge, ONE POUND below.
Edge: Pattern symbolising bridges and pathways.
Designed by Edwina Ellis.
Issued in 2005 (Welsh design).
- Obverse: Third Portrait.
Reverse: The Egyptian Arch (a railway bridge crossing the Newry-Camlough Road), ONE POUND below.
Edge: Pattern symbolising bridges and pathways.
Designed by Edwina Ellis.
Issued in 2006 (Irish design).
- Obverse: Third Portrait.
Reverse: The Gateshead Millenium Bridge, ONE POUND below.
Edge: Pattern symbolising bridges and pathways.
Designed by Edwina Ellis.
Issued in 2007 (English design).
- Obverse: Third Portrait. No beading.
Reverse: Shield with Royal Arms, ONE POUND below.
Edge: DECUS ET TUTAMEN
Issued from 2008. 2009 not yet in circulation, available in Royal Mint sets only.
All dates except 1998, 1999 and the old design of 2008 have entered circulation,
although some are rarely seen, particularly 1986 and 1988. The shortage
of the latter is more noticeable because of its very distinctive design;
the design of the 1986 coin is somewhat similar to other designs so
its scarcity is not so evident.
Patterns similar to the new bridge designs but with no inscription of value were made
available to the public. In addition, silver proofs and some silver piedfort proofs
were issued by the Royal Mint.
Design Errors on One Pound Coins - Forgeries
Pound coins with apparent errors such as the wrong reverse or edge inscription for the
year, and/or poor quality edge inscriptions are forgeries.
Some forgeries are plated metal of poor quality, but others are made of
brass. These can sometimes be identified by a slight difference in colour to the normal.
The inscriptions may be less clear than normal, but as some of the early designs of
genuine coins wear very badly, this is not a sole indicator of being a forgery.
A sure test is to examine the bottom of the incuse edge inscription with
a powerful lens. The genuine coins show a clearly defined flat base to the
hollows forming the inscription, which is almost certainly absent in the case of a forgery.
It has been estimated that 1% of all pound coins in circulation are forged,
although in my experience the ratio is a bit less than that.
Acknowledgements
See my Main Coins Index page for acknowledgements
Links
On this website
Values Index
Values of £1 and £2 coins.
Main Index
Previous page - Decimal Fifty Pence
Next page - Decimal Two Pounds
On my pictures website (www.ukcoinpics.co.uk)
Pictures of Decimal One Pound Coins
Pictures Index
Help and Advice
If you wish to ask for advice, feel free to mail me via
my Advice page
but please do not send me unsolicited scans or other binary files.
I would also be grateful if you could search the site carefully
before mailing me - the answers to the great majority of the questions that
I am asked can be found on this site.
Decimal Coins of UK - 9 - One Pound /
Copyright reserved by the author, Tony Clayton /
v12 15th January 2009
