To celebrate St. George’s Day, we have taken a look back at how England has been represented on UK £1 coins since the newer version of the round pound coin was introduced in 1983. How many do you have in your collection?
1987 and 1992 £1 Coin
- Design:1987 saw the last in a four-year series of £1 coins, designed by renowned silversmith Leslie Durbin, to represent the four constituent parts of the United Kingdom. In 1987, England joined Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland with a reverse design that featured the distinctive oak tree, long associated with England.
- Edge Inscription: DECUS ET TUTAMEN
- Designer: Leslie Durbin
1997 and 2002 £1 Coin
- Design: Last in the second series of £1 coins whose reverse designs honoured constituent parts of the United Kingdom, the 1997 £1 coin represented England by featuring the famous Royal Crest of England, three lions passant guardant. On its obverse was Raphael Maklouf's elegant portrait of Her Majesty The Queen.
- Edge Inscription: DECUS ET TUTAMEN
- Designer: Norman Sillman
2007 £1 Coin
- Design: The 2007 Gateshead Millennium Bridge £1 coin was the final coin in a series of four designs by Australian-born wood engraver, Edwina Ellis. Each design illustrated a bridge from the four constituent parts of the United Kingdom. Opened to the public on 17 September 2001, the Gateshead Millennium Bridge stretches 126 metres across the River Tyne. Its striking arched opening, designed by Gifford and Partners with Wilkinson Eyre, has a remarkable presence and is a distinctive landmark in Newcastle and Gateshead.
- Edge Inscription: Decorative pattern symbolising bridges and pathways
- Designer: Edwina Ellis
2010 £1 Coin
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Design: 2010 saw the launch of an entirely new £1 coin series which focused on the four capital cities of the UK - the 'City Series'. It was the first time in a 'home countries' £1 coin series that two coins were released in the same year. The two 2010 £1 coins represented London and Belfast. This is the '2010 London £1 coin'.
The 'City Series' began with London – the most visited city in the world and home to Beefeaters, black cabs and red telephone boxes aplenty. The motto of the arms, DOMINE DIRIGE NOS - translated as 'Lord, deliver us' - featured as the edge inscription for the London £1 coin.
- Edge Inscription: DOMINE DIRIGE NOS
- Designer: Stuart Devlin
2013 £1 Coin
- This 2013 coin showed the rose and the oak to represent England.
- Edge Inscription: DECUS ET TUTAMEN
- Designer: Timothy Noad
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