The secret war between the Royal Mint and counterfeiters

Wars & Conflicts · Published 17 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: For decades, the British one-pound coin was a target for sophisticated forgery. As counterfeit rates climbed, the government was forced to fundamentally redesign the currency, moving from a simple round coin to a complex, 12-sided bimetallic structure equipped with hidden ultraviolet security codes.

The transition to the modern one-pound coin was driven by a crisis of confidence. By 2014, the Royal Mint estimated that over 3% of the original nickel-brass coins in circulation were counterfeit. These fakes were often sophisticated enough to pass through automated bank machinery, with some studies suggesting the actual counterfeit rate was nearly double the official estimates. To combat this, the government introduced a dodecagonal (12-sided) design on March 28, 2017. This new coin features a bimetallic composition and a hidden security feature known as "iSIS" (Integrated Secure Identification Systems), which is only visible under specific wavelengths of ultraviolet light.

The evolution of the coin's design also reflects a shift in national identity and security. The original round coins, introduced in 1983 to replace the £1 note, featured a rotating reverse design that changed annually to represent different parts of the UK. This ended in 2008 when a new standard version was introduced. In 2015, a 15-year-old named David Pearce secured a public contest to select the 12-sided coin's back, which depicts a crown uniting a shamrock, thistle, leek, and rose.

Despite the redesign, the history of the pound is layered with nuances. While the 12-sided coin is the standard, the sovereign coin remains legal tender for one pound, though its gold content makes it too valuable for daily use. Furthermore, while the UK transitioned to the new design, territories like Gibraltar and the Isle of Man continued to use the older round coins for a period, highlighting the complex geography of British currency.

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