New pound coins in 2017

[FosseWay]

I wonder what "homogeneous non-ferrous inner" means?  Steel?  I'd have thought they could spare some cupro-nickel for such a high value coin?  The 50p still uses it.

Steel is not non-ferrous 

I suspect that "homogeneous non-ferrous inner" means precisely cupro-nickel,  just as for the pill of the 1 euro coin.

[Alan71]

"Ferrous" isn't exactly an everyday word though is it? Looking on Wikipedia, it looks like "ferrous" suggests an iron compound.  As steel is an alloy that includes iron, then yes, you're right.  But if it's going to be cupro-nickel, why don't they just say that?

[FosseWay]

why don't they just say that?

That question has been asked of many official pronouncements for centuries. In this case, either because they felt like using unnecessarily obscure language for kicks, or because the alloy will definitely not be ferrous but is otherwise not wholly decided - thereby they avoid having to give chapter and verse on what it actually contains.

[Pabitra]

But reply #176 already indicated

"with a standard composition (excluding the nickel plate) of seventy-six per centum copper, four per centum nickel and twenty per centum zinc"

Which is Nickel Brass.

It is only Copper Nickel with 20% Nickel replaced by Zinc.
No Iron at all.

[Alan71]

^ That says "excluding the nickel plate" - it wouldn't be pure nickel.  I suppose it's an indication that it will be cupro-nickel though.

[Pabitra]

The nickel plating is on the core since nickel brass is yellow in colour.
To give it bimetallic look, the core is nickel plated, which gives the silver or white colour to core.
Then the core is stamped in to ring and then this blank is struck.

[RED]

I think the wording of both the stats and the proclamation are vague because of the ISIS technology used... they don't want to give anything away they don't have to !!.

I could be wrong, but I recall it being mentioned somewhere that the central disc will be a sandwich of layered metals, done in such a way that it'll give a very unique magnetic signature.

Unfortunately the trial coins are too collectable (& if past trial coins are anything to go by the mint will want them back, or charge a fee) for anyone to have sliced one open and have a look (As far as I know) so the true extent of any layering etc won't be known until someone does it with a real coin once they're out there.

[Alan71]

Is there any way of getting hold of a trial piece?  I imagine the Mint will eventually sell them off at £50 each...

[Pabitra]

If you know some vending machines manufacturer,  you might be able to get one.
Sample pieces were given to vending machines makers, one year before the introduction of non-round pound, as was promised to them.

[RED]

They were sent out around November 2015 iirc.
I know the request form for samples was sent out on 5th October 2015, I never even bothered trying to blag it, as the questions on the form were quite specific,
business details, sector, specific details about the machines etc the business used & operated.
I do know they cost £1 each, but am unsure if the mint want them back at the end (The 1997 £2 coin was £10 to keep)

[Pabitra]

If you can manage to find out the list of companies who got them from the mint, may be some of them are finished with their use. In other words, the mechanism in the machine to accept the new pound has been designed and they are now in the phase of implementing that in the machines in the field.
They may be willing to sell a piece or two.
Would be interesting to get a pound coin trial piece in hand and study it.

Why would mint want them back?
Cost of getting them back and keeping account of inventory would more than offset the value it may realise later.

[eurocoin]

I just called with a manager from The Royal Mint who is in charge of the new 1 pound coin project. He told me that the vending machine manufacturers did have to pay an amount of money for the trial pieces, depending on the quantity they needed. The trial pieces remain the property of The Royal Mint. At present The Royal Mint has no plans to sell the returned trial pieces. The Royal Mint is not willing to disclose any information regarding the number of trial pieces they have minted.

[RED]

wow.. they're being very strict with these trial coins.

I've just received a copy of the 12 pages of Terms and Conditions sent out with the trial coins, outlining the fact they must be returned to the mint in tamper-evident bags via courier at the end of the trial phase, the testing and information gained from it must be submitted to the mint within 48hrs of them asking for it ("in order for it to better understand the work conducted by the Contractor and any beneficial information that can be further utilised for the introduction of the new £1 coin.") they cannot be lent to any third party, cannot be damaged or disassembled, cannot be microscopically examined to determine the structure, composition or method of manufacture etc etc etc etc

Bang goes my chances of getting one

(FYI in terms of numbers, my source who shall remain anonymous, has analysed 1000 trial pieces.. so there's plenty out there!!)

[andyg]

AFAIK all the trial coins sent out over the years remain the property of the mint - even the 1937 threepence coins.

[Pabitra]

But were they returned back to the mint after the trial or just notionally remain the property of the mint?

I am sure, mint will not be storing them. They must have been recycled.