One pound (British coin)
Encyclopedia
The circulating British one pound (£1) coin is minted from a nickel-brass alloy
of approximately 70% copper
, 24.5% zinc
, and 5.5% nickel
. The coin weighs 9.50 grams (0.34 oz) and has a diameter of 22.50 millimetres (0.89 in.). The value of the composition metals in a £1 coin amount to approximately 4.75p.
The coin was introduced on 21 April 1983 to replace the Bank of England
one pound note, which ceased to be issued at the end of 1984 and was removed from circulation (though still redeemable at the Bank's offices) on 11 March 1988. One pound notes are still issued in Jersey
, Guernsey
and the Isle of Man
, and by the Royal Bank of Scotland
, but the pound coin is much more widely used. It was given the nickname "round pound" on introduction, although this term did not remain in common use.
As of the 31st of March 2010 there were an estimated 1.474 billion £1 coins in circulation, of which 43 million (2.94%) are estimated to be counterfeit
(see "Conterfeiting").
by Arnold Machin
in 1983 and 1984, by Raphael Maklouf
between 1985 and 1997, and by Ian Rank-Broadley
since 1998. All have had the inscription ELIZABETH II D G REG F D date.
Uniquely amongst modern British coinage, the £1 coin has a mint mark
: a small crosslet found on the milled edge that represents Llantrisant
in South Wales, where the Royal Mint
has been based since 1968.
An interesting feature of this denomination is that the design of the reverse of the coin changed each year between 1983 and 2008 to show, in turn, an emblem representing the UK
, Scotland
, Wales
, Northern Ireland
, and England
, together with an appropriate edge inscription. The inscription ONE POUND appears at the bottom of all reverse designs before April 2008.
In August 2005 the Royal Mint
launched a competition to find new reverse designs for all circulating coins apart from the £2 coin. The winner, announced in April 2008, was Matthew Dent, whose designs were gradually introduced into the circulating British coinage from summer 2008. The designs for the 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p and 50p coins depict sections of the Royal Shield
that form the whole shield when placed together. The new £1 coin design features the shield in its entirety, representing the UK as a whole. The inscription ONE POUND appears on either side of the emblem.
The reverse designs are as follows.
All years except 1998 and 1999 have been issued into circulation, although the number issued has varied enormously – 1983 and 1984 in particular had large mintages to facilitate the changeover from paper notes, while some years such as 1986 and 1988 are only rarely seen (although 1988 is more noticeable as it has a unique reverse). Production since 1997 has been reduced, thanks to the introduction of the circulating two pound coin.
. This rate has been increasing rapidly from 2.06% in 2008, to 2.58% in 2009, and to 2.81% in 2010, with the highest level of counterfeits being in Northern Ireland (3.6%) and the South East and London (2.97%), with the lowest being in Northwest England. Some estimates place the figure closer to 5%. An earlier survey in 2006 gave an estimate of 1.7%, which itself was nearly twice earlier estimates. The significant increase of counterfeit £1 coins in recent times between 2008 and 2009 can be easily traced to the peak of the Late-2000s recession in September 2008.
In July 2010, it was reported there were so many counterfeit pound coins in circulation (about 2.81% or about 1 in 36) that the Royal Mint were considering removing the current £1 coin from circulation and replacing it with a new design. Bookmakers Paddy Power offered odds of 6/4 (bet £4 to win £10) that the £1 coin would be removed from circulation.
One common method of detecting counterfeits (if the sound of the coin on a table or the colour of the metal does not indicate something suspicious) is to check whether the reverse matches the edge inscription for the alleged year – it is extremely common for counterfeiters to get this wrong. Also, the writing on the edge may be in the wrong font and look very poor, and the coins often generally look much less sharp and defined, lacking intricate details. Most counterfeit £1 coins in circulation are made of brass, and most lead copies are easy to spot and are quickly removed from circulation.
The Swazi lilangeni
is minted from the same planchet
s as the British pound coin, and hence has the same chemical constitution, diameter, and mass. The lilangeni, however, is worth significantly less: the 2008 exchange rate is around 14 emalangeni to the pound. This has enabled it to be used for vending machine fraud, and payment fraud in situations where the receiver is unlikely to examine the coins closely.
article 'Real Britannia', Julian Barnes
describes the meetings to choose the 1994–1997 reverse designs. This is reprinted in his book Letters from London as 'Britannia's New Bra Size'.
Alloy
An alloy is a mixture or metallic solid solution composed of two or more elements. Complete solid solution alloys give single solid phase microstructure, while partial solutions give two or more phases that may or may not be homogeneous in distribution, depending on thermal history...
of approximately 70% copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
, 24.5% zinc
Zinc
Zinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...
, and 5.5% nickel
Nickel
Nickel is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel belongs to the transition metals and is hard and ductile...
. The coin weighs 9.50 grams (0.34 oz) and has a diameter of 22.50 millimetres (0.89 in.). The value of the composition metals in a £1 coin amount to approximately 4.75p.
The coin was introduced on 21 April 1983 to replace the Bank of England
Bank of England
The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694, it is the second oldest central bank in the world...
one pound note, which ceased to be issued at the end of 1984 and was removed from circulation (though still redeemable at the Bank's offices) on 11 March 1988. One pound notes are still issued in Jersey
Jersey pound
The pound is the currency of Jersey. Jersey is in currency union with the United Kingdom, and the Jersey pound is not a separate currency but is an issue of banknotes and coins by the States of Jersey denominated in pound sterling, in a similar way to the banknotes issued in Scotland and Northern...
, Guernsey
Guernsey pound
The pound is the currency of Guernsey. Since 1921, Guernsey has been in currency union with the United Kingdom and the Guernsey pound is not a separate currency but is a local issue of banknotes and coins denominated in pound sterling, in a similar way to the banknotes issued in Scotland and...
and the Isle of Man
Manx pound
The Manx pound or Isle of Man pound is a local issue of the pound sterling, issued by the Isle of Man Government. It is subdivided into 100 pence.-Currency union with sterling:...
, and by the Royal Bank of Scotland
Royal Bank of Scotland
The Royal Bank of Scotland Group is a British banking and insurance holding company in which the UK Government holds an 84% stake. This stake is held and managed through UK Financial Investments Limited, whose voting rights are limited to 75% in order for the bank to retain its listing on the...
, but the pound coin is much more widely used. It was given the nickname "round pound" on introduction, although this term did not remain in common use.
As of the 31st of March 2010 there were an estimated 1.474 billion £1 coins in circulation, of which 43 million (2.94%) are estimated to be counterfeit
Counterfeit
To counterfeit means to illegally imitate something. Counterfeit products are often produced with the intent to take advantage of the superior value of the imitated product...
(see "Conterfeiting").
Designs
The £1 coin has the standard obverse designs used on all contemporary British coins, namely the effigy of Queen Elizabeth IIElizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
by Arnold Machin
Arnold Machin
Arnold Machin O.B.E, R.A. was a British artist, sculptor, coin and stamp designer.Machin was born in Stoke-on-Trent in 1911. He started work at the age of 14 as an apprentice china painter at the Minton Pottery. During the Depression he learnt to sculpt at Stoke-on-Trent's Art School, which was...
in 1983 and 1984, by Raphael Maklouf
Raphael Maklouf
Raphael Maklouf is a sculptor, best known for designing the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II used on the coins of many Commonwealth nations....
between 1985 and 1997, and by Ian Rank-Broadley
Ian Rank-Broadley
Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS is a British sculptor who has produced many acclaimed works, among which are several designs for British coinage....
since 1998. All have had the inscription ELIZABETH II D G REG F D date.
Uniquely amongst modern British coinage, the £1 coin has a mint mark
Mint mark
A mint mark is an inscription on a coin indicating the mint where the coin was produced.-History:Mint marks were first developed to locate a problem. If a coin was underweight, or overweight, the mint mark would immediately tell where the coin was minted, and the problem could be located and fixed...
: a small crosslet found on the milled edge that represents Llantrisant
Llantrisant
Llantrisant is a town in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf in Wales, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales, lying on the River Ely and the Afon Clun. The town's name translates as The Parish of the Three Saints. The three saints in question are St Illtyd, St Gwynno and St...
in South Wales, where the Royal Mint
Royal Mint
The Royal Mint is the body permitted to manufacture, or mint, coins in the United Kingdom. The Mint originated over 1,100 years ago, but since 2009 it operates as Royal Mint Ltd, a company which has an exclusive contract with HM Treasury to supply all coinage for the UK...
has been based since 1968.
An interesting feature of this denomination is that the design of the reverse of the coin changed each year between 1983 and 2008 to show, in turn, an emblem representing the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, together with an appropriate edge inscription. The inscription ONE POUND appears at the bottom of all reverse designs before April 2008.
In August 2005 the Royal Mint
Royal Mint
The Royal Mint is the body permitted to manufacture, or mint, coins in the United Kingdom. The Mint originated over 1,100 years ago, but since 2009 it operates as Royal Mint Ltd, a company which has an exclusive contract with HM Treasury to supply all coinage for the UK...
launched a competition to find new reverse designs for all circulating coins apart from the £2 coin. The winner, announced in April 2008, was Matthew Dent, whose designs were gradually introduced into the circulating British coinage from summer 2008. The designs for the 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p and 50p coins depict sections of the Royal Shield
Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom
The Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom is the official coat of arms of the British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II. These arms are used by the Queen in her official capacity as monarch of the United Kingdom, and are officially known as her Arms of Dominion...
that form the whole shield when placed together. The new £1 coin design features the shield in its entirety, representing the UK as a whole. The inscription ONE POUND appears on either side of the emblem.
The reverse designs are as follows.
1983, 1993, 1998, 2003 & 2008: Ornamental royal arms.
|
|
| 1984 & 1989: Thistle Cotton thistle Onopordum acanthium , is a flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is native to Europe and Western Asia from the Iberian Peninsula east to Kazakhstan, and north to central Scandinavia, and widely naturalised elsewhere... sprig in a coronet, representing Scotland. Nemo me impune lacessit Nemo me impune lacessit is the Latin motto of the Order of the Thistle and of three Scottish regiments of the British Army. The motto also appears, in conjunction with the collar of the Order of the Thistle, in later versions of the Royal coat of arms of the Kingdom of Scotland and subsequently in... ("No-one provokes me with impunity" – the Latin motto Motto A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments... of the Order of the Thistle Order of the Thistle The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an order of chivalry associated with Scotland. The current version of the Order was founded in 1687 by King James VII of Scotland who asserted that he was reviving an earlier Order... ). |
|
| 1985 & 1990. Leek in a coronet Coronet A coronet is a small crown consisting of ornaments fixed on a metal ring. Unlike a crown, a coronet never has arches.The word stems from the Old French coronete, a diminutive of coronne , itself from the Latin corona .Traditionally, such headgear is – as indicated by the German equivalent... , representing Wales. Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau is the national anthem of Wales. The title – taken from the first words of the song – means "Old Land of My Fathers", usually rendered in English as simply "Land of My Fathers". The words were written by Evan James and the tune composed by his son, James James, both residents... ). |
|
| 1986 & 1991: Flax Flax Flax is a member of the genus Linum in the family Linaceae. It is native to the region extending from the eastern Mediterranean to India and was probably first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent... in a coronet, representing Northern Ireland. |
|
| 1987 & 1992: Oak Oak An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus... tree in a coronet, representing England. |
|
| 1988: Crown over the Royal coat of arms Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom The Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom is the official coat of arms of the British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II. These arms are used by the Queen in her official capacity as monarch of the United Kingdom, and are officially known as her Arms of Dominion... . |
|
| 1994: Lion Rampant Royal Standard of Scotland The Royal Standard of Scotland, , also known as the Banner of the King of Scots, or more commonly the Lion Rampant of Scotland, is the Scottish Royal Banner of Arms... within a double tressure flory counter-flory, representing Scotland Scotland Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the... . |
|
| 1995 & 2000: Dragon Passant representing Wales Wales Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²... . |
|
| 1996 & 2001: Celtic cross Celtic cross A Celtic cross is a symbol that combines a cross with a ring surrounding the intersection. In the Celtic Christian world it was combined with the Christian cross and this design was often used for high crosses – a free-standing cross made of stone and often richly decorated... , Broighter collar Broighter Gold The Broighter Gold or more correctly, the Broighter Hoard, is a hoard of gold artefacts from the Iron Age of the 1st century BC that were found in 1896 by Tom Nicholl on farmland near Limavady, Northern Ireland. The hoard includes a gold boat, a gold torc and bowl and some other jewellery... and pimpernel, representing Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west... . |
|
| 1997 & 2002: Three lions passant guardant, representing England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... . |
|
| 1998: As 1983. Issued in collectors' sets only, not for circulation. 1999: As 1994. Issued in collectors' sets only, not for circulation |
|
| 2004: Forth Bridge Forth Bridge (railway) The Forth Bridge is a cantilever railway bridge over the Firth of Forth in the east of Scotland, to the east of the Forth Road Bridge, and 14 kilometres west of central Edinburgh. It was opened on 4 March 1890, and spans a total length of... (Scotland). |
|
| 2005: Menai Suspension Bridge Menai Suspension Bridge The Menai Suspension Bridge is a suspension bridge between the island of Anglesey and the mainland of Wales. Designed by Thomas Telford and completed in 1826, it was the first modern suspension bridge in the world.-Construction:... (Wales). Truss In architecture and structural engineering, a truss is a structure comprising one or more triangular units constructed with straight members whose ends are connected at joints referred to as nodes. External forces and reactions to those forces are considered to act only at the nodes and result in... . |
|
| 2006: MacNeill's Egyptian Arch MacNeill's Egyptian Arch MacNeill's Egyptian Arch is a railway bridge in Newry, Northern Ireland. Construction was completed in 1851 for the Dublin and Belfast Junction Railway Company and was the result of collaboration between engineer Sir John Macneill and constructor William Dargan... at Newry Newry Newry is a city in Northern Ireland. The River Clanrye, which runs through the city, formed the historic border between County Armagh and County Down. It is from Belfast and from Dublin. Newry had a population of 27,433 at the 2001 Census, while Newry and Mourne Council Area had a population... (Belfast–Dublin railway line, Northern Ireland). |
|
| 2007: Millennium Bridge Gateshead Millennium Bridge The Gateshead Millennium Bridge is a pedestrian and cyclist tilt bridge spanning the River Tyne in England between Gateshead's Quays arts quarter on the south bank, and the Quayside of Newcastle upon Tyne on the north bank. The award-winning structure was conceived and designed by architects... , Newcastle Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne... /Gateshead Gateshead Gateshead is a town in Tyne and Wear, England and is the main settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. Historically a part of County Durham, it lies on the southern bank of the River Tyne opposite Newcastle upon Tyne and together they form the urban core of Tyneside... (England). |
|
| 2008 onwards: The shield from the Royal Coat of Arms Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom The Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom is the official coat of arms of the British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II. These arms are used by the Queen in her official capacity as monarch of the United Kingdom, and are officially known as her Arms of Dominion... . Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom The Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom is the official coat of arms of the British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II. These arms are used by the Queen in her official capacity as monarch of the United Kingdom, and are officially known as her Arms of Dominion... , ONE and POUND either side of the shield. |
|
| 2010: Coat of Arms Coat of arms A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth... of the City of London City of London The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of... . Flag of the City of London The flag of the City of London is based on the flag of England, having a centred red St George's Cross on a white background, with the red sword in the upper hoist canton . The sword is believed to represent the sword that beheaded Saint Paul who is the patron saint of the city... , LONDON above at top, ONE and POUND around each side of the Shield. Small Coats of Arms of the other 3 capital cities of the UK in the intended set along bottom (left to right; Cardiff, Belfast and Edinburgh) Motto A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments... of the City of London). |
|
| 2010: Coat of Arms of Belfast Belfast Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly... . Motto A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments... of Belfast). |
All years except 1998 and 1999 have been issued into circulation, although the number issued has varied enormously – 1983 and 1984 in particular had large mintages to facilitate the changeover from paper notes, while some years such as 1986 and 1988 are only rarely seen (although 1988 is more noticeable as it has a unique reverse). Production since 1997 has been reduced, thanks to the introduction of the circulating two pound coin.
Mintages
| 1983 | 443,053,510 |
|---|---|
| 1984 | 146,256,501 |
| 1985 | 228,430,749 |
| 1986 | 10,409,501 |
| 1987 | 39,298,502 |
| 1988 | 7,118,825 |
| 1989 | 70,580,501 |
| 1990 | 97,269,302 |
| 1991 | 38,443,575 |
| 1992 | 36,320,487 |
| 1993 | 114,744,500 |
| 1994 | 29,752,525 |
| 1995 | 34,503,501 |
| 1996 | 89,886,000 |
| 1997 | 57,117,450 |
| 2000 | 109,496,500 |
| 2001 | 63,968,065 |
| 2002 | 77,818,000 |
| 2003 | 61,596,500 |
| 2004 | 39,162,000 |
| 2005 | 99,429,500 |
| 2006 | 38,938,000 |
| 2007 | 26,180,160 |
| 2008 | 3,910,000 (1983 Design) |
| 2008 | 43,827,300 (Matthew Dent design) |
| 2009 | 27,625,600 |
| 2010 | 38,505,000 |
Counterfeiting
A Royal Mint survey in January 2011 found that an estimated 2.94% (or 1 in 34) of all £1 coins in circulation are counterfeitCounterfeit
To counterfeit means to illegally imitate something. Counterfeit products are often produced with the intent to take advantage of the superior value of the imitated product...
. This rate has been increasing rapidly from 2.06% in 2008, to 2.58% in 2009, and to 2.81% in 2010, with the highest level of counterfeits being in Northern Ireland (3.6%) and the South East and London (2.97%), with the lowest being in Northwest England. Some estimates place the figure closer to 5%. An earlier survey in 2006 gave an estimate of 1.7%, which itself was nearly twice earlier estimates. The significant increase of counterfeit £1 coins in recent times between 2008 and 2009 can be easily traced to the peak of the Late-2000s recession in September 2008.
In July 2010, it was reported there were so many counterfeit pound coins in circulation (about 2.81% or about 1 in 36) that the Royal Mint were considering removing the current £1 coin from circulation and replacing it with a new design. Bookmakers Paddy Power offered odds of 6/4 (bet £4 to win £10) that the £1 coin would be removed from circulation.
One common method of detecting counterfeits (if the sound of the coin on a table or the colour of the metal does not indicate something suspicious) is to check whether the reverse matches the edge inscription for the alleged year – it is extremely common for counterfeiters to get this wrong. Also, the writing on the edge may be in the wrong font and look very poor, and the coins often generally look much less sharp and defined, lacking intricate details. Most counterfeit £1 coins in circulation are made of brass, and most lead copies are easy to spot and are quickly removed from circulation.
The Swazi lilangeni
Swazi lilangeni
The lilangeni is the currency of Swaziland and is subdivided into 100 cents. The South African rand is also accepted in Swaziland and it is issued by the Central Bank of Swaziland...
is minted from the same planchet
Planchet
A planchet is a round metal disk that is ready to be struck as a coin. An older word for planchet is flan. They are also referred to as blanks.-History:The preparation of the flan or planchet has varied over the years...
s as the British pound coin, and hence has the same chemical constitution, diameter, and mass. The lilangeni, however, is worth significantly less: the 2008 exchange rate is around 14 emalangeni to the pound. This has enabled it to be used for vending machine fraud, and payment fraud in situations where the receiver is unlikely to examine the coins closely.
Further reading
In an April 1993 The New YorkerThe New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
article 'Real Britannia', Julian Barnes
Julian Barnes
Julian Patrick Barnes is a contemporary English writer, and winner of the 2011 Man Booker Prize, for his book The Sense of an Ending...
describes the meetings to choose the 1994–1997 reverse designs. This is reprinted in his book Letters from London as 'Britannia's New Bra Size'.
See also
- Pound sterlingPound sterlingThe pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
- Banknotes of the pound sterling
- Coins of the pound sterling
- Coin counterfeitingCoin counterfeitingCoin counterfeiting of valuable antique coins is common; modern high-value coins are also counterfeited and circulated.Counterfeit antique coins are generally made to a very high standard so that they can deceive experts; this is not easy and many coins still stand out.-Circulating...