The Royal Mintreleased 300 million new one pound coinsinto circulation on Tuesday . The money ’s packed with cut edge anti - counterfeiting measures , include one that British authorities wo n’t even talk about . Is it a happenstance that this happened the sidereal day before British Prime Minister Teresa Maytriggered the UK ’s outlet from the European Union ? likely .
The new bimetallic coinsare slightly slimmer and lighterthan the old one - quid coin and feature a 12 - sided border , alternating between a mill aerofoil and a tranquil one , that makes it easy to key out in your pocket . The front side shows Queen Elizabeth ’s fifth specie portraiture , while the back side frisk the ikon of a blush wine , leek , thistle , and shamrock ( symbolic representation for England , Wales , Scotland , and Northern Ireland , respectively ) connected to stalk growing out of a peak . As with other British coins , the persona on the back will vary when new coins go into circulation .
But what really sets the novel pounding apart is the anti - counterfeiting features . First , there are flyspeck lettering near the edge of the coin , cut into the metal using an expensive laser cutting tool that the modal crook would have a severe time getting their hands on .
The front side of the new coin also features a so - called “ latent image . ” Using a lenticular , hologram - like effect , the nurture surface of the coin reads “ 1 ” when viewed from one counselling and “ £ ” when view from the other .
The marquee security system feature , however , is much more elusive . The Royal Mint wo n’t say much about the feature except that it enable particular machines to understand and verify the genuineness of the new coin . The mint also enjoin that standardised technology is already in use on some bill . Sometheorizethat there could be a tiny RFID or NFC chip embed beneath a thin after of metal that send a cryptographic key signature to the machine . ( This seems somewhat workable , since Saudi Arabiahas been working on engraft RFID chipsinto its paper currentness for a few geezerhood . ) Another possibility is that there ’s simply a layer of a specific kind of metal that exchange the conductive or charismatic property of the coin . disregardless of the secret , the Royal Mint seems very sure-footed that they create a coin that simply ca n’t be imitate .
“ In 30 eld of minting — and 20 years of mine — there has credibly not been any pregnant modification in the way we fasten coins . This is a grownup leap for us , ” Gordon Summers , head engraver at the Royal Mint , order Wired UK . “ It is currently impossible for those counterfeiting coins to copy — it ’s not difficult to do , it ’s impossible ”
If true , this could help get many meg of imitation one pound coins out of circulation . The Royal Mint say that one in 30 pound coins currently in circulation is fake , which is a small mind - boggle if you deliberate how much oeuvre go into coin coins .
The new pound coins entered circulation on March 28 , and the old British pound sterling coins will start to be pulled out of circulation on October 16 of this twelvemonth . But it will only be a matter of clip before some enterprising YouTuber decides to see one of these new puppies in one-half to see how that mysterious new “ mellow - security department feature article ” in reality mold .
[ Royal Mint ]
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