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British one penny coin
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| One Penny (United Kingdom) | |
|---|---|
| Value: | 1 penny sterling |
| Mass: | 3.56 g |
| Diameter: | 20.32 mm |
| Thickness: | (Bronze) 1.52 mm (Steel) 1.65 mm |
| Edge: | Plain |
| Composition: | Bronze (1971–1991) Copper-plated steel (1992–) |
| Years of Minting: | 1971–present |
| Catalog Number: | — |
| Obverse | |
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| Design: | Queen Elizabeth II |
| Designer: | Arnold Machin (1971–1984) Raphael Maklouf (1985‑1997) Ian Rank-Broadley (1998–) |
| Design Date: | 1994 (Rank-Broadley design)[citation needed] |
| Reverse | |
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| Design: | Crowned portcullis. From 1971–1981 the inscription read NEW PENNY. |
| Designer: | Christopher Ironside |
| Design Date: | 1971 |
- For the pre-decimal British one penny coin, see British One Penny coin (pre-decimal). For silver pennies produced after 1820 see Maundy money.
The British decimal one penny (1p) coin, produced by the Royal Mint, was issued on 15 February 1971, the day the British currency was decimalised.[1] In practice, it had been available from banks in bags of £1 for some weeks previously. The coin, known at first as a "new penny", was initially minted from bronze, but since 1992 it has been minted in copper-plated steel.[2] As this is less dense than bronze, post-1992 coins have been slightly thicker, as well as becoming magnetic. The coin weighs 3.56 grams and has a diameter of 20.32 millimetres.[3]
One penny and two pence coins are legal tender only up to the sum of 20p; this means that it is permissible to refuse payment of sums greater than this amount in one and two pence coins in order to settle a debt.[4]
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The reverse of the coin, designed by Christopher Ironside, is a crowned portcullis with chains (an adaptation of the Badge of Henry VII which is now the Badge of the Palace of Westminster),[2] with the numeral "1" written below the portcullis, and either NEW PENNY (1971–1981) or ONE PENNY (1982–present) above the portcullis.[2]
To date, three different obverses have been used. In all cases, the inscription is ELIZABETH II D.G.REG.F.D. year.[3] Both sides of the coin are encircled by dots.
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Between 1971 and 1984 the head of Queen Elizabeth II by Arnold Machin was used,[2] in which the Queen wears the 'Girls of Great Britain and Ireland' Tiara.
The words NEW PENNY were used up until 1981. From 1982 the inscription changed to ONE PENNY. This version was minted in bronze. |
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Between 1985 and 1997 the head by Raphael Maklouf was used,[2] in which the Queen wears the George IV State Diadem.
This version was minted in bronze until 1992. From 1992 copper plated steel has been used. |
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Since 1998 the head by Ian Rank-Broadley has been used,[2] again featuring the tiara, with a signature-mark IRB below the portrait. |
In April 2007 the BBC reported that the coin was being redesigned to reflect "modern Britain", with an announcement expected from the Royal Mint later this year.[5]
- ^ Bignell, C P. Post decimalisation. Retrieved on 2006-05-23.
- ^ a b c d e f 1p Coin. British Royal Mint. Retrieved on 2006-05-23.
- ^ a b Clayton, Tony. Decimal Coins of the UK - Bronze. Retrieved on 2006-05-24.
- ^ Clayton, Tony. Decimal Coins of the UK - The Change to Decimal Coinage. Retrieved on 2006-05-23.
- ^ "The coin that lost our interest", BBC News, 25 April 2007
- Coincraft's Standard Catalogue English & UK Coins 1066 to Date, Richard Lobel, Coincraft. ISBN 0-9526228-8-2
- Royal Mint – 1p coin
- British Penny Pictures
- Coins of the UK - Decimal One Penny on www.coins-of-the-uk.co.uk
- Pictures of Coins of the UK - Decimal One Penny on www.ukcoinpics.co.uk
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