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Author Topic: Change of design for UK coins  (Read 3708 times)

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Offline Laetitia

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Change of design for UK coins
« on: April 03, 2008, 09:23:15 am »
This isn't related to ancient coins, but I thought it might interest those with a general interest in coins and also other member who, like me, live in the UK.  (I apologise if I have posted this in the wrong forum; I couldn't find one that seemed suitable.)

The following story appears in today's newspapers:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/britannia-banished-as-coins-get-a-makeover-803983.html
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3666992.ece

The reverse motifs on UK coins are being changed.  Britannia will no longer appear at all.  Instead the reverses will all feature part of a heraldic shield.  The shield will be completed by one of each denomination, like a jigsaw with coins!  My initial reaction was that I like the novel idea of the coins be part of a bigger design, but I'm sad to see the old reverse designs discarded.  Britannia (the design of which may have been inspired by Hadrian and Antoninus Pius' Britannia issues), in particular, has featured on coins for centuries. 

The coins will be introduced this summer.

Offline LordBest

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Re: Change of design for UK coins
« Reply #1 on: April 03, 2008, 09:48:50 am »
The coat of arms on English coinage pre-dated the use if Britannia, so it is not unprecedented. Off the top of my head the earliest Britannia I know of is on the cartwheel penny and tuppence issues of 1797. I do not mind the new design either, atleast it has a bit of traditional style about it.
                                                                      LordBest. 8)

Offline Heliodromus

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Re: Change of design for UK coins
« Reply #2 on: April 03, 2008, 10:03:17 am »
Not bad. Quite a cool way to combine the past with a thoroughly modern design.

I never liked the decimal coinage designs anyway (especially some of the special edition 50p's).

Ben

Offline Rich Beale

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Re: Change of design for UK coins
« Reply #3 on: April 03, 2008, 10:05:10 am »
Indeed, some of the 'modern' rubbish that has been coming out of the mint these days has been decidedly unremarkable in its aesthetic value.

Offline mauseus

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Re: Change of design for UK coins
« Reply #4 on: April 03, 2008, 10:09:00 am »
Hi,

The earliest figure of Britannia occured on the copper halfpennies and farthings of Charles II, c.1672; can't remember if one of his mistresses was supposedly the model for her.

Regards,

Mauseus

Offline Laetitia

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Re: Change of design for UK coins
« Reply #5 on: April 03, 2008, 10:13:11 am »
Mauseus beat me to it.  I was about to reply that the first appearance was on coinage of Charles II.  The model was rumoured to be the Duchess of Richmond.

History of Britannia on coins:  http://24carat.co.uk/britanniaframe.html

Offline monty

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Re: Change of design for UK coins
« Reply #6 on: April 03, 2008, 01:26:24 pm »
The current royal arms of Great Britain as we now them were first used on the coins of James I (James VI of Scotland) in 1603 after the joing of the monarchy of England and Scotland.

The earliest coat of arms in a form we would recognise that i can trace on an English coin was on the gold florins of Edward III circa 1344.

Offline Bacchus

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Re: Change of design for UK coins
« Reply #7 on: April 03, 2008, 01:32:07 pm »
I never liked the decimal coinage designs anyway (especially some of the special edition 50p's).

Ben


You mean you don't collect all those Isle of Man variations ... :o

Malcolm

Offline monty

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Re: Change of design for UK coins
« Reply #8 on: April 03, 2008, 01:36:13 pm »
Quote from: Bacchus on April 03, 2008, 01:32:07 pm
I never liked the decimal coinage designs anyway (especially some of the special edition 50p's).

Ben


You mean you don't collect all those Isle of Man variations ... :o

Malcolm

there not legal tender in the UK  so cant really be classed as the same series.

Offline Bacchus

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Re: Change of design for UK coins
« Reply #9 on: April 03, 2008, 02:08:07 pm »
Technically no .. but I get them in change all the time - as I also have got coins from Jersey, Gibraltar, even the Falklands.

Malcolm

Offline monty

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Re: Change of design for UK coins
« Reply #10 on: April 03, 2008, 02:21:12 pm »
I know what you mean, i seam to get a lot of Gibraltar £1 coins for some reason.

I like the channel island issues best.

Offline Robert_Brenchley

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Re: Change of design for UK coins
« Reply #11 on: April 03, 2008, 04:38:48 pm »
The new coins can't be any worse than the junk they've been putting out since decimalisation.
Robert Brenchley

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Offline Potator II

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Re: Change of design for UK coins
« Reply #12 on: April 04, 2008, 03:47:42 am »
Hi,

While I try to collect well centered coins when it comes to ancient, I quite like this off flan design.

Regards
Potator

Offline *Alex

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Re: Change of design for UK coins
« Reply #13 on: April 04, 2008, 07:52:54 am »
The new coins can't be any worse than the junk they've been putting out since decimalisation.


Hi,

While I try to collect well centered coins when it comes to ancient, I quite like this off flan design.

Regards
Potator

I must be getting old (I'm only 61) but I think the new designs are uninspired and unattractive.

Alex.

Offline Potator II

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Re: Change of design for UK coins
« Reply #14 on: April 04, 2008, 08:07:27 am »

I must be getting old (I'm only 61) but I think the new designs are uninspired and unattractive.

Alex.

Alex, did you ever see one of our french euro coins ? I bet you did. I burst into tears everytime I see one (that means several times a day)

Regards
Potator

Offline *Alex

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Re: Change of design for UK coins
« Reply #15 on: April 04, 2008, 08:30:20 am »

I must be getting old (I'm only 61) but I think the new designs are uninspired and unattractive.

Alex.

Alex, did you ever see one of our french euro coins ? I bet you did. I burst into tears everytime I see one (that means several times a day)

Regards
Potator

... and the French Euros are most certainly not the worst. I think that accolade might go to the Dutch  ;D.

Alex.

Offline commodus

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Re: Change of design for UK coins
« Reply #16 on: April 05, 2008, 12:35:26 am »
Any of the euros surpasses the horrible designs for the U.S. "statehood quarters" series (at least most of them -- a few states, Texas for example, have decent designs though most are horrible). Then there are the lifeless Sacagewea and "presidential" dollars, which look like arcade tokens.
Eric Brock (1966 - 2011)

 

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