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Counterfeit - 1 Pound - Elizabeth II 3rd portrait; Celtic Cross
| Issuer | Royal Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 1996-1997 |
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| Value | Log in to see details |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | 22.5 mm |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | Central design featuring a Celtic cross with an annulet at the centre, within which a five-petalled Pimpernel flower is depicted. An ancient Celtic torque is superimposed overall across the cross design, referencing pre-Roman British heritage. The denomination is inscribed in the lower exergue below the cross device. The design draws from the Northern Irish regional coinage series issued for circulation. |
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| Additional information |
The 1996–97 reverse design was introduced as part of the Royal Mint's rotation of national emblems for the pound coin series, but it coincided with a period when circulating counterfeits of the one-pound coin had already reached alarming levels — the Bank of England estimated that by the late 1990s roughly 1 in 50 pound coins in circulation was fake. Nickel-brass was particularly easy for counterfeiters to source and cold-press. This specific type was among the most heavily duplicated in the series, a problem that ultimately drove the complete redesign and bimetallic replacement issued in 2017.