British One Penny coin
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| One Penny (Great Britain) | |
|---|---|
| Value: | 0.01 GBP |
| Mass: | 3.56 g |
| Diameter: | 20.32 mm |
| Thickness: | 1.65 mm |
| Edge: | Plain |
| Composition: | Copper-plated Steel |
| Years of Minting: | 1971–2006 |
| Catalog Number: | - |
| Obverse | |
| Image:NoImage.PNG | |
| Design: | Queen Elizabeth II |
| Designer: | Arnold Machin Raphael Maklouf Ian Rank-Broadley |
| Design Date: | 1909 |
| Reverse | |
| Image:BritishOneNewPenny.jpg | |
| Design: | Portcullis |
| 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<ref>Bignell, C P. Post decimalisation. Retrieved on 2006-05-23.</ref>. 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 <ref name="design">1p Coin. British Royal Mint. Retrieved on 2006-05-23.</ref>. 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<ref name="bcoins">Clayton, Tony. Decimal Coins of the UK - Bronze. Retrieved on 2006-05-24.</ref>.
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 <ref>Clayton, Tony. Decimal Coins of the UK - The Change to Decimal Coinage. Retrieved on 2006-05-23.</ref>.
Contents |
[edit] Design
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) <ref name="design" />, with the numeral "1" written below the portcullis, and either NEW PENNY (1971–1981) or ONE PENNY (1982–present) above the portcullis<ref name="design" />.
To date, three different obverses have been used. In all cases, the inscription is ELIZABETH II D.G.REG.F.D. year<ref name="bcoins" />. Both sides of the coin are encircled by dots.
[edit] 1971–1984
| Between 1971 and 1984 the head of Queen Elizabeth II by Arnold Machin was used<ref name="design" />, 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 |
[edit] 1985–1997
| Between 1985 and 1997 the head by Raphael Maklouf was used<ref name="design" />, 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. |
[edit] 1998 onwards
| Since 1998 the head by Ian Rank-Broadley has been used<ref name="design" />, again featuring the tiara, with a signature-mark IRB below the portrait. |
[edit] See also
[edit] References
<references />
- Coincraft's Standard Catalogue English & UK Coins 1066 to Date, Richard Lobel, Coincraft. ISBN 0-9526228-8-2
[edit] External links
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