Product Information

The Base Metal Collection comprises seven coins bearing the definitive reverse designs, the portrait of the Queen by Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS on their obverse, and are all dated 2008. Each coin is struck in their circulating alloy to Brilliant Uncirculated quality. A fully illustrated and informative presentation folder telling the story of decimalisation has been specially created for this collection of Brilliant Uncirculated coins.

For further information on the Emblems of Britain Collections please visit www.royalmint.com/emblems.

Background & History

The introduction of the new decimal series of coins was no easy task 40 years ago. From settling the dimensions of the coins, to the creation of the designs, to their production by the Royal Mint it was a mammoth undertaking. Not only did the different denominations need to be readily distinguishable by sight and touch from each other, they also needed to avoid being confused with existing coins of the pre-decimal system.

As for their designs, a new portrait of the Queen by Arnold Machin RA had already been prepared and approved, while for the reverse designs it was announced in November 1966 that a public competition would be arranged. More than 80 artists took part and, from the 900 or so designs that were received, a series by Christopher Ironside was eventually approved, his designs drawing praise for the 'lack of clutter', a requirement that had been stressed in the creative brief.

Decimalisation
On 1 March 1966 the Chancellor of the Exchequer, James Callaghan, announced that the centuries-old system of 12 pennies to the shilling and 20 shillings to the pound would be replaced by a decimal currency system in which the pound was to be divided into 100 units. Recognising the enormity of a change that would affect every business and household in the country, the government proposed a five-year preparatory period before the official changeover.

D Day had been set for 15 February 1971 but was preceded by a gradual withdrawal of some of the old coins and a phased introduction of new decimal coins. The first of these were the 5p and 10p which started being issued to the public in April 1968, followed in October 1969 by the 50p piece with its revolutionary equilateral curve heptagon shape. The remaining three coins, 1/2p, 1p and 2p, were not released until D Day itself and the 20p piece entered circulation in 1982. Amid all the changes the £1 note emerged unaltered and unscathed until the following year when it was replaced by the now familiar £1 coin.

In order to handle the vast production of hundreds of millions of new decimal coins a purpose-built Royal Mint at Llantrisant in South Wales was opened by the Queen in December 1968. A system of currency that had survived for more than 1000 years had been replaced without any major controversy. The United Kingdom had finally become a decimal country.