This Sunday (21st April, 2013) the £1 coin will celebrates its 30th anniversary. The coin was first issued on 21 April 1983, during the year that Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher entered her third term of office. Reportedly, the £1 coin was disliked by the late Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
After consultation with many groups including retailers and special interest groups, the Government announced on 31 July 1981 that a new £1 coin that was to be issued on 21 April 1983. To make it easy to identify, the £1 coin is thicker than other coins while the 'yellow' colour allowed it to stand out from the cupro-nickel 'silver' coins already in circulation. The weight of the coin was decided largely on the grounds of cost and the need to allow for higher denomination coins in due course.The reverse designs of the £1 coin represent the UK and its four constituent parts – Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England – and the first series of designs took floral emblems as its theme.
The £1 has undergone many changes during its reign, featuring three portraits of The Queen, and twenty one different reverse designs reflecting themes relating to the emblems, iconic landmarks and cities that contribute to the ‘greatness’ of Great Britain.
The United Kingdom £1 Coin
Issue Date:21 April 1983
Technical Specifications:
Diameter: 22.5mm
Weight: 9.5 g
Thickness: 3.15mm
Composition: Nickel-Brass (70% copper, 5.5% nickel, 24.5% zinc)
Obverse Designers: Portrait of Her Majesty the Queen
1983-1984 Arnold Machin
1985- 1997 Raphael Maklouf
1998 to date Ian Rank-Broadley
Edge: Milled
£1 Coins Reverse Design History
Year of issue:1983,1993,1998,2003,2008
Edge Inscription:DECUS ET TUTAMEN
Designed by:Eric Sewell
Year of issue:1984, 1989
Edge Inscription: NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSIT
Designed by: Leslie Durbin
Year of issue:1985, 1990
Edge Inscription: PLEIDIOL WYF I'M GWLAD
Designed by: Leslie Durbin
Year of issue: 1986,1991
Edge Inscription: DECUS ET TUTAMEN
Designed by: Leslie Durbin
Year of issue: 1987, 1992
Edge Inscription: DECUS ET TUTAMEN
Designed by: Leslie Durbin
Year of issue: 1988
Edge Inscription: DECUS ET TUTAMEN
Designed by: Derek Gorringe
Year of issue: 1994, 1999
Edge Inscription: NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSIT
Designed by: Norman Sillman
Year of issue: 1995, 2000
Edge Inscription: PLEIDIOL WYF I'M GWLAD
Designed by: Norman Sillman
Year of issue: 1996,2001
Edge Inscription: DECUS ET TUTAMEN
Designed by: Norman Sillman
Year of issue: 1997, 2002
Edge Inscription: DECUS ET TUTAMEN
Designed by: Norman Sillman
Year of issue: 2004
Edge Detail: Decorative pattern symbolising bridges and pathways
Designed by: Edwina Ellis
Year of issue: 2005
Edge Detail: Decorative pattern symbolising bridges and pathways
Designed by: Edwina Ellis
Year of issue: 2006
Edge Detail: Decorative pattern symbolising bridges and pathways
Designed by: Edwina Ellis
Year of issue: 2007
Edge Detail: Decorative pattern symbolising bridges and pathways
Designed by: Edwina Ellis
Year of issue: 2008-2012
Edge Inscription: DECUS ET TUTAMEN
Designed by: Matthew Dent
Year of issue: 2010
Edge Inscription: PRO TANTO QUID RETRIBUAMUS
Designed by: Stuart Devlin
Year of issue: 2010
Edge Inscription: DOMINE DIRIGE NOS
Designed by: Stuart Devlin
Year of issue: 2011
Edge Inscription: Y DDRAIG GOCH DDYRY CYCHWYN
Designed by: Stuart Devlin
Year of issue: 2011
Edge Inscription: NISI DOMINUS FRUSTRA
Designed by: Stuart Devlin
Year of issue: 2013
Edge Inscription: DECUS ET TUTAMEN
Designed by: Timothy Noad
Year of issue: 2013
Edge Inscription: PLEIDIOL WYF I’M GWLAD
Designed by: Timothy Noad
Coin Edge Inscriptions
DECUS ET TUTAMEN='An ornament and a safeguard' from Virgil's Aeneid
NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSIT='No one provokes me with impunity'. The Motto of the Order of the Thistle
PLEIDIOL WYF I'M GWLAD='True am I to my country' from the Welsh National Anthem
PRO TANTO QUID RETRIBUAMUS='What shall we give in return for so much.' The Motto of Belfast
DOMINE DIRIGE NOS='Lord direct us.' The Motto of London
Y DDRAIG GOCH DDYRY CYCHWYN=‘The Red Dragon shall lead’ The Motto of Cardiff
NISI DOMINUS FRUSTRA=‘It is vain without the Lord’ The Motto of Edinburgh
A report by Royal Mint said with every 100 pieces £1 coin, you can find 3 pieces fake coins. You can learn how to identify fake coins in this article http://lunaticg.blogspot.com/2012/04/how-to-spot-fake-1-coin.html
Source: www.royalmint.com
