History of the British One Pound Coin
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, a number of lessons were learnt.
1. The coin was made of a different colour alloy, making it easy to distinguish.
2. It was made much thicker than normal for two reasons:
a. to make it easy to distinguish by touch
b. to make it more or less the same diameter as the gold sovereign (It is in fact heavier than a sovereign).
3. The pound note was rapidly withdrawn once sufficient of the coins were in circulation, forcing its use by the public.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.
4. 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.
Author acknowledgement: Tony Clayton
The World Encyclopedia of Coins and Coin Collecting
The Definitive Illustrated Reference to the World's Greatest Coins and a Professional Guide to Collecting.
Featuring Over 3000 Colour Images
________________________________________________________________________________________________
UK British Coins for Sale
After the fiasco of the attempt by the US Government to introduce a dollar coin in 1979, a number of lessons were learnt.
1. The coin was made of a different colour alloy, making it easy to distinguish.
2. It was made much thicker than normal for two reasons:
a. to make it easy to distinguish by touch
b. to make it more or less the same diameter as the gold sovereign (It is in fact heavier than a sovereign).
3. The pound note was rapidly withdrawn once sufficient of the coins were in circulation, forcing its use by the public.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.
4. 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.
Author acknowledgement: Tony Clayton
The World Encyclopedia of Coins and Coin Collecting
The Definitive Illustrated Reference to the World's Greatest Coins and a Professional Guide to Collecting.
Featuring Over 3000 Colour Images
________________________________________________________________________________________________
UK British Coins for Sale
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Tags: british coins, british coins for sale, british coins of value, buy coins uk, coins uk
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Comment by Sun WuKong on August 4, 2009 at 6:03pm -
WoW it is a long way since the British Civil War were the POUND coin was in SILVER and valued at a pound and weighed 120 grm. A real heavy coin but when in super conition a wonderful piece of Charles I art. see http://www.petitioncrown.com/s_oxford_rawlins_pound_ful_.html
Think about it today we have paper money and coins that promise to pay the bearer in reality nothing.
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