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By 1980 it had become apparent that with the general decline in purchasing power, the £1 unit of currency was more appropriate to a coin than a banknote. 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. Since its launch the £1 has always represented the United Kingdom and its constituent parts; England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The £1 coin in base metal (as opposed to the gold sovereign, which has a nominal face value of one pound too), nickel-brass was introduced in 1983, as a replacement for the £1 banknote. The reverse design of the first £1 coin showed a detailed and intricate depiction of the Royal Coat of Arms. Designed by Eric Sewell, Chief Engraver at The Royal Mint, it has become one of the most famous images on British coinage. The coin’s edge inscription is in Latin: DECUS ET TUTAMEN, which may be translated as an "ornament to safeguard". This design, representing the United Kingdom as a whole, was issued until 2015 in rotation with other designs representing England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, alternating each year. This is the fourth of six issues (the others being in 1983, 1993, 1998, 2008 and 2015). The United Kingdom was also represented by the Shield Pound of 1988, the Shield Pound of 2008, the Shield Pound of 2009, the Shield Pound of 2010, the Shield Pound of 2012, the Shield Pound of 2013 and the Shield Pound of 2015, as well as the limited editions (not for regular circulation) of the Shield Pound of 2015 carrying the Queen's Fifth Portrait, the Shield Pound of 2016 and the Last Round Pound (2016). Coins issued in 2003 circulated for 14 years until they were demonetised in 2017 and replaced with the current bimetallic one pound coin. | ||||||||||||
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Buy American Gold Buffalo Coins |
Variety | Specimen in presentation folder | |
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Mintage | Issued: 23,760 (included in total) | |
Variety | In mint sets | |
Images |
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Mintage | Issued: 112,999 (included in total) | |
In Set |
2003 United Kingdom Brilliant Uncirculated Coin Collection, mintage 62,741
10 coins: £2 Technology, £2 DNA, £1 Royal Arms, 50p Britannia, 50p Suffragettes, 20p, 10p, 5p, 2p, 1p - variety: 2003 United Kingdom Brilliant Uncirculated Coin Collection - Baby Gift Set, mintage 43,128 (not included in the above set) - variety: 2003 United Kingdom Brilliant Uncirculated Wedding Coin Collection, mintage 7,130 (not included in the above set) | |
Variety | Proof FDC | |
Mintage | Issued: 43,513 (included in total) | |
In Set |
2003 United Kingdom Proof Set, mintage 23,650
11 coins: £5 Coronation Jubilee, £2 Technology, £2 DNA, £1 Royal Arms, 50p Britannia, 50p Suffragettes, 20p, 10p, 5p, 2p, 1p - variety: 2003 United Kingdom Proof Set (Deluxe), mintage 14,863 (not included in the above set) - variety: 2003 United Kingdom Executive Proof Set, mintage 5,000 (not included in the above set) | |
Variety | Silver Proof FDC | |
Images |
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Mintage | Issued: 15,830 | |
Material | 0.925 Silver | |
Details | 9.50 g., 0.925 Silver 0.2825 oz. ASW, 22.5 mm. | |
Variety | Silver Proof Piedfort | |
Images |
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Mintage | Issued: 9,871. Mintage limit: 10,000 | |
Material | 0.925 Silver | |
Details | 19.00 g., 0.925 Silver 0.5650 oz. ASW, 22.5 mm. | |
In Set |
2003 Silver Proof Piedfort Three-Coin Collection, mintage unknown
3 coins: £2 Discovery of DNA, £1 Royal Arms, 50p Suffragettes |
Source | Edition | About | Link | Notes |
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Royal Mint | 2016 | Coin description | link | |
Royal Mint | 28th March 2019 | Mint | link | |
Royal Mint | 28th March 2019 | Mintage | link | Circulation mintage |
Royal Mint | Mintage | link | Proofs and sets mintage | |
Royal Mint | Varieties | link | Proofs, mint sets |
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Buy Silver Coins Online |
Country | United Kingdom |
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Currency | Pound Sterling |
Coin Type | One Pound (Royal Arms) |
Issued | 2003 |
Monarch | Queen Elizabeth II |
Effigy | Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait, by Ian Rank-Broadley |
Reverse | Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom |
Face Value | 1 (x Pound) |
Circulation Mintage | 61,596,500 (61.6 million) |
Total Mintage | 61,776,772 (61.8 million), Rarity: C (Common) |
Current | No; demonetised 2017 |
Material | Nickel Brass |
Designer | Eric Sewell |
Technology | Milled (machine-made) |
Shape | Round |
Orientation | Medal Alignment (Axis 0) |
Size | 22.5000 mm |
Thickness | 3.1500 mm |
Mass | 9.5000 g |
OCC ID | KLBR-PERR-CRPL-EMNY |
Image | Details |
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2003 UK Coin £1 Silver Proof Royal Coat of Arms
Copyright: Chards Notes: Silver Proof. Source |
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2003 UK Coin £1 Silver Proof Royal Coat of Arms
Copyright: Chards Notes: Silver Proof. Source |
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1983 Royal Arms One Pound Coin | The Royal Mint
Copyright: Royal Mint Source |
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Coin, Great Britain, 1 Pound 2003
Copyright: NumisCorner.com Source |
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Coin, Great Britain, 1 Pound 2003
Copyright: NumisCorner.com Source |
Source | Reference ID |
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Spink, Coins of England and the United Kingdom | J13 (was 4590) |
Krause, Standard Catalog of World Coins | Great Britain KM# 993, 993a (Silver) |
Krause, Standard Catalog of World Coins | Great Britain KM# P41 (Piedfort) |