The Royal Mint will begin replacing existing round £1 coins in 2017 in a bid to stamp out fraud. It estimates that 3% of £1 coins or nearly £46 million are fakes.

The proposed £1 coin design is distinctly British, with a twelve-sided shape which evokes memories of the pre-decimalisation threepence piece.

Pic: the royal Mint

 
It will be constructed from two different coloured metals and contain an iSIS security feature – a revolutionary new high security coinage currency system developed by The Royal Mint that will make the coin hard to forge.

A Treasury spokesman said: “After 30 years’ loyal service the time is right to retire the current £1 coin and replace it with the most secure coin in the world.

We think it looks a lot like a euro. What do you think? Do you like the new look?

pic: McXas