When it’s a fake. I found a fake in my change yesterday, and another today. Today’s was a particularly bad fake:
You can see that the design on this side is not stamped in the centre of the coin. The letters “IRB” (for Ian Rank-Broadley, who designed the Queen’s head you see on the coin) which should be under the head are very indistinct, I can only see the R.
This side has the right design for the year (2001), which is a start. However, the design is very indistinct, and tellingly it is not aligned with the head side but almost 90 degrees out.
The motto, Decus et Tutamen, is correct for the year. The cross is present – this is absent in many fake coins. But the lettering is too deeply stamped, and edge of the coin (the grooves) is poorly defined.
If you think you have a fake, you can compare it with this handy chart from the Royal Mint.
I took yesterday’s fake back to the shop, and today’s fake wasn’t mine. But I think I may start collecting them from now on – they are quite interesting. Incidentally, check all your new (2008) 20p pieces for the year. Some were incorrectly stamped without the year, and these are now worth about £20. I’m definitely looking out for one of them!
Interesting! I’ve just had a look at the three pound coins in my pocket and one of them is a fake! Not quite as awful as the one that you’ve shown here but pretty bad. I really must check my change more carefully in future.
I wouldn’t have thought anyone would bother making one pound fakes! I guess they must be fairly easy to palm off.
I’m thinking there must be some way to launder them that makes it worthwhile. Most machines won’t take them though as they’re the wrong weight. So I’m not sure how it’s done, and it’s not information the police are releasing!