New pound coins in 2017

[eurocoin]

Following combinations of shapes and alloys were considered for the new 1 pound coin:

[<k>]

Interesting. I'm sure you encouraged the Mint to do this, just so you could get another "prime". 

I did wonder why the Mint didn't just make the new pound a smaller version of the 2 pound coin. That would have worked. So now both the pound and the 2 pound coins constitute their own unique coin families, in terms of size/shape/metal.

Furthermore, I have read that coins with an odd number of edges roll better in machines, so the 12-sided coin had to be tweaked to make it rounder.

[Alan71]

I did wonder why the Mint didn't just make the new pound a smaller version of the 2 pound coin. That would have worked. So now both the pound and the 2 pound coins constitute their own unique coin families, in terms of size/shape/metal.

Possibly because it might have looked too similar to the Euro coin?  The £2 doesn't have that issue as its metals are the other way round in comparison to the €2 coin.

[Figleaf]

Interesting indeed. The first one (clockwise from upper left) hardly registers as bi-metallic. The second does better on that score, but people might still confuse it with the old pounds. Remember how the public in several countries couldn't distinguish a silver coin and a cu-ni coin of approximately the same size but with a totally different design? The third and fourth should be compared when tarnished. In this state, there's no reason to prefer one above the other.

I really like the idea of the pound as a small version of the two pounds, provided that it would still be non-round, to facilitate the exchange of old pounds for new ones. It makes much sense on several levels (including confusion with the 1 euro.)

Peter

[<k>]

I'd thought of the pound's bimetallic nature as another feature to add to its security, that is, making it harder to counterfeit. However, it also helped make it visually distinguishable from the round pound. And if that wasn't enough, well, they added 12 edges to the new pound, to help any Australians in the country who find it exceedingly difficult to tell any coins apart. 

[malj1]

<k>
No cpmment! 

[andyg]

full article is here;
http://metro.co.uk/2017/11/22/concept-designs-for-new-1-coin-revealed-for-first-time-7097443/

[Alan71]

I think the first one (top left in eurocoin's post) would not have looked like that after a few months in circulation.  The centre would almost certainly have darkened due to tarnishing. It would effectively have been the reverse of the £2 coin and therefore the reverse of the €1 coin, both of which are nickel-brass outer.  It would have worked better than a round coin with a cupro-nickel centre.  However, I think the right choice was made.

[Alan71]

Reading the linked article, I'm surprised that they really were considering a "bronze" or "copper coloured" outer ring on two options.  If it's accurate, and they'd gone with it, imagine how they'd look after a few months/years in circulation?  Bronze/copper colour is associated with low-value coins, why on earth would they want to introduce it on the £1?

[SandyGuyUK]

Reading the linked article, I'm surprised that they really were considering a "bronze" or "copper coloured" outer ring on two options.  If it's accurate, and they'd gone with it, imagine how they'd look after a few months/years in circulation?  Bronze/copper colour is associated with low-value coins, why on earth would they want to introduce it on the £1?

Well the way that the economy is due to be going according to Spreadsheet, maybe they know more than we think! ;-)

Also, re: bronze being used for low-value coins, our Gallic neighbours did of course have their very modernistic 10 Francs coin in the 70s which was bronze.  Their Belgian neighbours tried the same thing with the 20 Franc coin but their Franc was just a bit too light-weight compared with the "Heavy" France of the 5th Republic.

[Figleaf]

I can think of two countries that issued high denomination copper commemoratives: Austria and Pakistan. Perhaps the UK is one of the last countries whose coins still show a strict relation between pre-1880 coin metals (copper/bronze, silver and gold) and denomination. Metal colour is way more important to distinguish coin families than metal price.

Peter

[Pabitra]

Cuba too

[FosseWay]

I can think of two countries that issued high denomination copper commemoratives: Austria and Pakistan. Perhaps the UK is one of the last countries whose coins still show a strict relation between pre-1880 coin metals (copper/bronze, silver and gold) and denomination. Metal colour is way more important to distinguish coin families than metal price.

Gold (as a colour rather than the element) is a bit of an ambiguous case, but I think there is a clear and overwhelming majority for those coin issuing entities that rank "sliver" higher than "copper". There is the French 10 francs from the 1970s/80s and the Czech 10 korún that I can immediately think of as circulation pieces that turn that on its head. It's certainly far from being just a British phenomenon.

Gold (as in the element) coins disappeared from some coinages before brass started to be used for lower-level coins, meaning that today that colour has the meaning of "low level" rather than "high level". This is true of the euro, but also of many of its predecessor currencies (e.g. franc, DM and peseta).

I would argue that "gold" colour can come anywhere in the hierarchy, but "copper" overwhelmingly comes towards the bottom.

[eurocoin]

Counterfeiters have now managed to copy The Royal Mint's trial piece, meaning they are now also able to copy the 12-sided pound coin. The trial pieces, which were lend to companies with vending machines to test the settings so they take the new 1 pound coin, at all times remain the property of the mint. These have to be returned before January 1, 2018.  Many pieces however were stolen and sold to collectors, who are willing to pay 70 or so pounds for it.

It is quite surprising they have so soon mastered the production of 12-sided bimetallic (though possibly electroplated) blanks with alternate reeding on the edge. Only the portrait is still of low quality. Furthermore the micro lettering is missing.

Furthermore this article was released today but I very much doubt it is real. So far no counterfeit pound coins have been found in circulation. 

[Figleaf]

Maybe the moiré behind the queen's neck is a light effect only, but if it's on the metal, that alone would have stopped me from spending any money on this piece.

Peter