One Pound 2003 Egyptian Arch Bridge (Pattern), Coin from United Kingdom - detailed information

The obverse shows the crowned mature head of Queen Elizabeth II facing right (her effigy known as the "Fourth Portrait"). The Queen wears the "Girls of Great Britain and Ireland" diamond tiara, a wedding gift from Queen Mary (Her Majesty's grandmother) in 1947 - which she also has on the Machin and the Gottwald portraits.

In small letters below the head, the artist's initials IRB (for Ian Rank-Broadley).

Around the effigy is the monarch's legend and the date: ELIZABETH · II · D · G REG · F · D · 2003. Translated from Latin: Elizabeth the Second, by the grace of God, Queen, Defender of the Faith 2003.

A representation of the Egyptian Arch Railway Bridge inside a border of railway station canopy dags. Around below, the inscription PATTERN.

There are no "regular", base metal coins of the type. The existing coins are one of the types listed as varieties below: silver or gold. The coins were released in a set of four containing:

1. Forth Railway Bridge Pattern £1 2003
2. Menai Bridge Pattern £1 2003
3. Egyptian Arch Bridge Pattern £1 2003
4. Millennium Bridge Pattern £1 2003.

When the coins were initially released, Chards said about them: "We have never had an explanation from the Royal Mint as to why this set was issued as "patterns", and also why they are all dated 2003 when we expected them to be dated 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007. We can only conjecture that they are not permitted to produce or release legal tender coins bearing a future date, and there may have been some complex legal reason why permission could not be obtained to release them as legal tender coins. Whatever the reasons, the coins bear the inscription "PATTERN" where they would normally say "ONE POUND". They also have a plain edge rather than a reeded and inscribed edge, and the coins are hallmarked on their edge, the first time this has been done on British coins, although we note this has also been done on the new 2004 pattern issue."