I’m not sure whether I’m just particularly unlucky when it comes to being passed counterfeit pound coins, or whether I just happen to notice them more often. Either way, the amount of dodgy one pound coins in circulation must be enormous (1% I’m told).
Anyway, how do you spot them? Well here’s a few good examples of bent coins. It’s easier than you might think, as fortunately counterfeiters aren’t the sharpest tools…
Example #1:
(click on image for larger version)
As far as crooked £1′s go, this is pretty good and will easily pass as real from a ‘quick glance’. The front and back have been stamped centrally and clearly and the colour is good.
It’s much harder to achieve a readable edge inscription “DECUS ET TUTAMEN” though and it’s this that gives this coin away as being fake when inspected more closely. The inscription is half missing, not centred correctly and the coin is only 80% milled.
The year on the front of this coin is 1996. The reverse for this year should be a Celtic cross. Oops! Those not so clever fakers have stamped a Rampant Lion from 1994′s pound coin on the back.
Example #2:
In contrast to the previous example, it’s the colour on this coin that tips you off to it being a fake. I’d imagine that when this coin was freshly counterfeited, it was a pretty good copy. A few years in circulation and the signs of wear give it away now though. But, the fakers aren’t really going to give a toss if it doesn’t stand the test of time, are they.
As you can see from the picture, the silver of the metal below is blatantly showing. You can see on the reverse where I’ve scratched off the ‘gold top coat’ with my fingernail! When compared against a real pound coin, this fake is also very slightly too large and misshapen. Doh! You’d have trouble passing this bad boy through a vending machine then.
Example #3:
The texture of the front of this coin just looks wrong. It has a ‘sprayed’ look, which probably doesn’t come across that well in the picture. Both front and back are centrally stamped, but the edge inscription is of very poor quality and is only partially milled. The reverse Celtic cross isn’t as clear as it should be and is obviously lacking in any detail. When compared to a genuine £1 coin, it’s again very slightly too big.
Having said that, it’s another fairly good copy and could easily be passed off.
Quite remarkedly, the year, edge inscription and reverse picture again all tie up. It’s unbelievably common for them to not match, as you’ll see…
Example #4:
The face on this fake isn’t quite centrally stamped. The edge is 90% milled. The quality of the lettering on the face stamp isn’t marvellous.
As you can see, the face is stamped 1992 and “DECUS ET TUTAMEN” is stamped around the edge. The reverse shows a thistle sprig in a coronet. Doh!! Those pesky fakers have got it wrong again. 1992 was an oak tree in a coronet!
Anyway, that’s enough dodgy pounds for now… more another time!
Part two and part three.
dear sir my friend have found a 1 pound coin which is plain both sides and with the words around the edge is this a fake or worth something please reply by email many thanks
Patricia,
Can you post images on the site for us to take a look?
it sounds like a mint error or trial strike where the planchet has been left plain as the edge milling and inscription where being trialed. to rule out a fake you must weigh it to compare with a real pound using digital scales. And secondly check with a magnet as some fakes are ferrous.
I could probably tell you from a digital camera picture that has been zoomed in on edge and on both blank sides
sounds an interesting coin I know quite a bit on the subject because i own a couple of trial strikes and they are hard to identify if you need further advice send photos or question and i’ll try to help
dear sir
i have foud a one pound a one pound coin with a skull one on one side and under neaf the skull it says discovery of neanderthal skull in gibraltar 1848 but it says it was made in 2009 is it worth anything.
That sounds to be like a genuine 2009 Gibraltar coin.
They crop up in loose change regularly.
In my collection, I have Gibraltar, Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey one pound coins and I haven’t gone out of my way to deliberately collect them.
dear sir.
hi have a 2009 pound coin, but on the back where it says one pound it has one POUNI ive been told its a real pound? could you plz e-mail me back to let me no what you think thank.
Shaun,
Can you post images of the coin on this site, for those of us with a bit of a trained eye, to take a look?
I have (x2) 1983 one pound coins that I have examined very closely. One of the 2 coins has the DECUS ET TUTAMEN milling upside down (when the “head” side of the coin is up, the side inscription is upside down) – the other coin has the inscription on the side oriented to be read correctly when the head of the coin is upwards.
I have read closely, and compared your pictures on this site to the coins, and both coins (circulated) look genuine. The color of the metals are the same, a scratch test with a thumbnail doesn’t scrape any coloring off, a slight drop test on a hard surface makes them ring of the same alloys. Is this possibly a minting error that could make the coin worth more than the standard? (est American grading would render about a vf5 to a vf6 condition – circulated).
The way you describe them, they sound genuine.
The edge description is put onto the coins as the stamped coins fall from one machine to another. depending upon how they twist when falling will mean the inscription will either be the ‘right way up’ or ‘upside down’.
In theory this should be 50/50 just like when you flip a coin.
There is no known difference in value just because the inscription appears ‘upside down’
Hello Daniel, the orientation of the edge lettering on one pound coins is entirely random. The lettering is put onto the blanks first, then they are fed into the presses at random. By the law of averages there should be 50 per cent of each variety.
i have a pound that has no date on.
Can you post a picture of it?
shelby rodgers i have also got a coin with a skull but says made in 2007 and has urs got written round the edge as mine hasent and im wondering if it is real fake or worth anything can any body help?????
Dear Simon
I just happened across this blog after Google returned this as a top result for the search “counterfeit pound coins”. I too have received many fakes in my change before but often have (ashamedly) foisted them on to unsuspecting vending machines.
I have a question. In my recent experience the pound coins minted by The Royal Mint from 2000 onwards tend to look more “fake” when compared to those minted from 1983-1997. By this I mean the image of the Queen and the reverse of the coin lack detail and definition plus the milling on the edge looks shallow. Only this week I had a pound coin minted in 1983 which looked in better shape than other coins I had in my pocket from 2000 onwards.
Is there a reason for this? I suspect either poorer quality control as inflation erodes the value of a single pound or softer alloys used in manufacture.
I’d be interested to hear you opinion as someone who appears to be a numismatist.
Thanks for your time,
Paul
Paul,
In answer to your question I believe its a combination of factors such as quality control and the alloys used. I do agree that younger coins do look ‘worse for wear’ than the older ones and the milling does tend to be shallower. However if you see the 2008 and 2009 designs the milling or ‘reeding’ is once again much deeper.
I have on with the the reverse 180º misaligned with the obverse.
Bazza
I have a one pound coin but only has the word “one” on the back instead of one pound is this rare
thanks
That sounds interesting. Can you post a picture of it?
i have a pound coin with a skull on one side,underneath it says discovery of neanderthal skull in gibraltar 1848, on the back it is dated 2006, is it rare? :)
Hi, I’m from Germany, I collect coins, I bought a lot of British coins on ebay and I noticed one pound coin, in a very poor condition, that has a wrong edge inscription. It’s a 1994 coin with rampant lion, but with edge inscription “DECUS ET TUTAMEN”. It thought it’s possibly a genuine mint error, the obverse and reverse and the milling on the edge all loke quite clear, despite the poor condition. But when I compared the edge inscription to a real “DECUS ET TUTAMEN” from 1993, the difference is quite clear, the “M” looks totally different, it’s like a turned W and not with parallel lines
http://h.imagehost.org/0824/fakepound.jpg
Hello Roland,
That’s a great photo, and you are right when you suggest that it is a fake, there is no question about it! It is a shame about the damage to the obverse, but a nice fake, nevertheless.
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We have been given as change, a silver-coloured metal coin with the words ‘pirate pound’ written on both sides. On one side there is a skull above two crossed swords and a sailing ship and in small lettering above the word ‘pirate’, the word ‘Simba.’
On the other side there is a depiction of the head and torso of a pirate. The edge of the coin is smooth. Is this play money?
Yes, looks like it is a toy coin. Does it look similar to this Pirate Pound or this one?? A quick Google makes me think it’s a Pirate Pound made by Simba Toys.
There’s a listing on Amazon.de, or on this site (scroll down).
I have a pound coin from guernsey, on one side is a scooner and the other said 3 lions, the queens head is not there, anybody know why??