The UK and the Six: coin convergence and divergence

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Saint Helena-Ascension had issued its first circulation coins in 1984.

It did not issue any more coins until 1991.

Those new coins carried the Maklouf portrait, however.

Meanwhile, Jersey continued to use the old Machin portrait into 1997.

It never used the Maklouf portrait.

So Jersey too diverged from the norm.

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We see then how these coinages, with their divergent predecimal obverses and sometimes denomination names and also sometimes shapes and metals, had eventually converged, after the advent of decimalisation. Partly this was due to the cessation of the crowned / uncrowned effigy hierarchy. In 1985 Guernsey even adopted a portrait of the Queen for the first time, replacing its shield of arms on the obverse. Only the choice of 20 pence coin (wide rim versus normal rim) seemed to allow for any continued divergence between the coinages.

From 1985 onward, it seems that the Six began to assert their differences from the UK. They were free to differentiate their coinage from the UK's by choosing a different portrait of the Queen or by retaining an old one, if they so wished.

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Divergence continued to be seen in the 20 pence coins.

In 1988 the Isle of Man issued a 20 pence depicting a combine harvester.

The coin had a narrow rim, as usual, and was issued through to 1992.

From 1993 to 1995 the same design was issued on a wide-rimmed type.



Since 2017 the Isle of Man has issued a most unusual 20 pence coin.

The obverse has a wide rim, but the reverse has a narrow rim.

The Isle of Man has long been fond of such numismatic innovations and novelties. 

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In 2004 Gibraltar issued a 20 pence that seemed to have an usually wide rim.




Gibraltar, 20 pence, 2005.







The 20 pence coin of 2014 appeared to have a similarly wide rim.

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COIN SIZE REDUCTIONS.

Let's rewind back to the 1990s now.

In 1990 and 1992 the UK issued smaller and lighter 5 and 10 pence coins respectively.

Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man did the same.


In 1997 the UK issued a smaller and lighter 50 pence coin.

Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man did the same.


The Falkland Islands waited until 1998, then it reduced the size and weight of the Falkland versions of the 5, 10 and 50 pence coins at the same time. Their reverse designs did not change.

St. Helena-Ascension also issued smaller and lighter 5 and 10 pence coins in 1998. Both had new and different reverse designs. Also in 1998, it issued its first 20 pence circulation coin. It did not issue a smaller and lighter 50 pence coin until 2003, but the reverse design remained the same.

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THE 2 POUND COIN.

In 1997 the UK issued a new denomination and coin type: the circulating bimetallic 2 pound coin.

Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man did the same.

St. Helena-Ascension did not issue a circulating bimetallic 2 pound coin until 2003.

The Falkland Islands did not issue a circulating bimetallic 2 pound coin until 2004.

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Falkland Islands, 2 pound coin, 1999 - 2000.

The Falkland Islands issued a crown-sized (38.6mm) collector 2 pound coin in 1999.

It was issued to commemorate the coming of the new millennium and the millennium itself, hence the two years, 1999-2000, on the obverse of the coin.

The coin was produced by the Royal Mint (UK). It had a reeded edge, without any inscription.


Royal Mint artist and engraver Matthew Bonaccorsi created the attractive reverse design.

The UK had issued a circulation 2 pound coin from the year 1997 onward, but this Falkland 2 pound coin of 1999 was a collector coin only.

This collector coin came in two versions: one in silver, and the other with a copper-nickel centre within a nickel-brass ring.

Above you see a larger image of the beautiful design on the reverse of the circulation 2 pound coin of 1999.

Obverse of the Falkland Islands circulation 2 pound coin of 2004.

In 2004 the Falklands Islands released its first circulation 2 pound coin.

It was produced by the Royal Mint (UK) and was bimetallic, with a copper-nickel center within a nickel-brass ring.

Like its UK counterpart, this circulation coin had a diameter of 28.4 mm.

It was therefore much smaller than the 38 mm of the 1999-2000 collector coin.


The coin had the following edge inscription:

30 YEARS OF FALKLAND ISLANDS COINAGE ·

Unlike the 1999 version, the reverse of the 2 pound coin of 2004 included the words 'FALKLAND ISLANDS'.


I quote our forum member Alan71:

The nickel-brass part of the 2004 coin is thinner, meaning the design on it is squashed.

The dimensions of the 1999-2000 unfortunately weren't simply those of a larger version of the bi-metal £2, as the nickel-brass ring was too thick.

Notice how there is very little room between the side of the penguin on the right and the rim. 

On the 1999-2000 version there is a clear gap. The entire design is condensed in this way.

A mysterious 2003-dated version of the 2004 coin has also been found, that does not have an edge inscription.

To read more about this story, see: Falkland Islands: 2 pound coin types of 1999, 2003 and 2004.

St. Helena and Ascension issued a monometallic 2 pound coin in 2002.

It was a circulating commemorative for the 500th Anniversary of Saint Helena and Ascension





In 2003 St. Helena and Ascension issued a regular circulation bimetallic version of the 2 pound coin.

It was last issued in 2006.

See also:  Numismatic heritage: commemorative designs that became standard designs.

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UK, 2 pound coin, 1998.   Ian Rank-Broadley's effigy of the Queen.

In 1998 a new effigy replaced the Maklouf portrait on the obverse of the UK's coins. The new one was created by Ian Rank-Broadley and depicted the now rather elderly Queen.

Gibraltar and the Isle of Man also adopted the new effigy in 1998.

Jersey also adopted the new effigy in 1998. However, it did not issue a 10 pence coin with the new effigy until 2002.

Guernsey also adopted the new effigy from 1998 onward. It appeared on the 1 penny and 2 pounds coins from 1998 onward. From 1999 onward it appeared on the 2, 5 and 20 pence coins. It appeared on the 1 pound coin from 2001 onward and on the 10 and 50 pence coins from 2003 onward.

The Falkland Islands adopted the new effigy a few years later than the others. It first appeared on the 1 penny and 50 pence in 2003. It first appeared on all the other denominations in 2004.

Curiously, Saint Helena and Ascension never adopted the Rank-Broadley effigy. To this day, it still uses the Maklouf effigy.

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Isle of Man 2 pence 1998:  obverse with and without triskeles.

The 1998 Manx coins with the Rank-Broadley portrait came in two varieties.

The 1, 2, 5, 10 pence and 1 pound coins were issued both with and without triskeles on the obverse.

The 20 pence and 2 pound coins were issued only WITH triskeles.

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EFFIGIES IN THE 21st CENTURY.

By the year 2003, we saw that only Saint Helena-Ascension continued to use the Maklouf effigy.

The UK, Jersey, Guernsey, the Isle of Man, Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands all used the Rank-Broadley effigy by this time.

Since then, more divergence has occurred as regards the use of effigies.

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MORE DIVERGENCE.



Gibraltar, 1 penny, 2004.

In 2004 Gibraltar began using a new effigy of the Queen.

This effigy was uncouped: it included the Queen's shoulders and part of her upper body.

It was the work of Raphael Maklouf, owner of the Tower Mint (UK).




Gibraltar, 1 penny, 2012.

From 2012 to 2016, the size of the portrait was reduced.

This left room for the year to fit underneath it.

The title "QUEEN OF GIBRALTAR" was also included for the first time.

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The UK's final circulating effigy of Queen Elizabeth II.




UK, 2 pound coin. 2015.

On March 2nd 2015 the Royal Mint (UK) announced a new effigy of the Queen.

It was designed by Jody Clark for use on the UK's circulation coins.

Our forum member eurocoin asked the Royal Mint the following question:

Are the Crown Dependencies and countries of the Commonwealth not allowed to use the exact same effigy as the UK on their circulating coins?

The Royal Mint replied:

The UK portrait that appears on UK coins is only for UK coins and is not for Commonwealth or Crown Dependency usage. This is primarily for public recognition and security reasons.

The Royal Mint's statement suggests to me that it is aware of the problem of coins from other parts of the sterling area escaping into use in the UK. Those non-UK coins are not legal tender in the UK. If members of the public in the UK look at the coins and notice a non-standard portrait, they would be alerted to this.

Once again, as in predecimal times, the  Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories are not allowed to use the same numismatic effigy as the UK on their coins.

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Isle of Man, 5 pence, 2017.

The Commonwealth version of the Jody Clark portrait of the Queen was approved in February 2016.

The Isle of Man began using it on its circulation coins in 2017.

This coincided with the issue of the new Manx design series of 2017.


However, Jersey and Guernsey have continued using the Rank-Broadley portrait.

Saint-Helena and Ascension have continued using the Maklouf portrait.

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Gibraltar, 50 pence, 2017.

In 2017 Gibraltar issued a one-year series of commemorative coins.

They commemorated the 50th anniversary of the 1967 Referendum Anniversary.

The obverse of the coins carried a new effigy of the Queen.

This is a Pobjoy Mint portrait but Pobjoy has not revealed the name of the artist.

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Falkland Islands, 10 pence, 2019.

In 2019 the Falkland Islands issued a new series of coins.

They carried a new effigy of the Queen on the obverse.

It was the same Pobjoy effigy that the Isle of Man had used.



Falkland Islands, 5 pence, 2019.

Curiously, the obverse of the 5 pence coin carried a different effigy of the Queen.

It was also a new effigy and was created by Raphael Maklouf.

None of the other denominations carried this effigy.