Editing Coins of the pound sterling (section)

==Currently circulating coinage==
The current decimal coins consist of:

* one penny and two pence in [[Copper electroplating|copper-plated]] steel
* five pence and ten pence in nickel-plated steel
* [[curve of constant width|equilateral curve]] [[heptagon]]al twenty pence and fifty pence in [[cupronickel]]
* bimetallic one pound and two pounds.

All circulating coins have an [[effigy]] of one of two monarchs on the obverse; various national, regional and commemorative designs on the reverse; and the denomination in numbers or words.
;[[Elizabeth II]]: The obverse carries an abbreviated [[Latin]] inscription whose full form, {{sc2|ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA FIDEI DEFENSATRIX}}, translates to "[[Elizabeth II]], by the grace of God, Queen and [[Fidei defensor|Defender of the Faith]]". The denomination is usually on the reverse.
;[[Charles III]]: The obverse carries an abbreviated, anglicised [[Latin]] inscription whose full form, {{sc2|CHARLES III DEI GRATIA REX FIDEI DEFENSOR}}, translates to "[[Charles III]], by the grace of God, King and [[Fidei defensor|Defender of the Faith]]". The denomination may be on either side.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Davies |first=Caroline |date=2022-12-08 |title=First coinage featuring King Charles III released |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/dec/08/first-coinage-featuring-king-charles-iii-released |access-date=2023-02-10 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|+Details of coins<br>(Although the current obverses are of Charles III, the other details in this table refer to coins of both Elizabeth II and Charles III.)
! Denomination !! Obverse !! Reverse !! Diameter !! Thickness !! Mass !! Composition !! Edge !! Introduced
|-{{Coin-copper-color}}
| rowspan="2" | '''[[Penny (British decimal coin)|One penny]]'''
| rowspan="4" | [[Charles III|King Charles III]]
| rowspan="2" | [[Portcullis#Heraldry|Crowned portcullis]] with chains (1971–2008)<br />Segment of the [[Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom|Royal Arms]] (2008–present)
| rowspan="2" | 20.3&nbsp;mm
| 1.52&nbsp;mm
| rowspan="2" | 3.56&nbsp;g
| [[Bronze]] (97% copper, 2.5% zinc, 0.5% tin)
| rowspan="4" | Smooth
| 1971
|-{{Coin-copper-color}}
| 1.65&nbsp;mm
| Copper-plated steel
| 1992
|-{{Coin-copper-color}}
| rowspan="2" | '''[[Two pence (British decimal coin)|Two pence]]'''
| rowspan="2" | Plume of ostrich feathers within a coronet (1971–2008)<br />Segment of the Royal Arms (2008–present)
| rowspan="2" | 25.9&nbsp;mm
| 1.85&nbsp;mm
| rowspan="2" | 7.12&nbsp;g
| Bronze
| 1971
|-{{Coin-copper-color}}
| 2.03&nbsp;mm
| Copper-plated steel
| 1992
|-{{Coin-silver-color}}
| rowspan="2" | '''[[Five pence (British decimal coin)|Five pence]]'''{{efn|group=circulating|name=circulating-5-10-50|The specifications and dates of introduction of the 5p, 10p, and 50p coins refer to the current versions. These coins were originally issued in larger sizes in 1968 and 1969 respectively.}}
| rowspan="9" | [[Charles III|King Charles III]]
| rowspan="2" | Crowned thistle (1968–2008)<br />Segment of the Royal Arms (2008–present)
| rowspan="2" | 18&nbsp;mm
| 1.7&nbsp;mm
| rowspan="2" | 3.25&nbsp;g
|[[Cupronickel]] (3:1)
| rowspan="4" | Milled
| 1990
|- {{Coin-silver-color}}
|1.89&nbsp;mm
|Nickel-plated steel
| 2012
|- {{Coin-silver-color}}
| rowspan="2" | '''[[Ten pence (British decimal coin)|Ten pence]]'''{{efn|group=circulating|name=circulating-5-10-50}}
| rowspan="2" | Crowned lion (1968–2008)<br />Segment of the Royal Arms (2008–present)
| rowspan="2" | 24.5&nbsp;mm
| 1.85&nbsp;mm
| rowspan="2" | 6.5&nbsp;g
| Cupronickel (3:1)
| 1992
|- {{Coin-silver-color}}
|2.05&nbsp;mm
|Nickel-plated steel
| 2012
|-{{Coin-silver-color}}
| rowspan="2" | '''[[Twenty pence (British decimal coin)|Twenty pence]]'''
| Crowned Tudor Rose
| rowspan="2" | 21.4&nbsp;mm
| rowspan="2" | 1.7&nbsp;mm
| rowspan="2" | 5&nbsp;g
| rowspan="2" | Cupronickel (5:1)
| rowspan="2" | Smooth, [[Reuleaux polygon|Reuleaux heptagon]]
| 1982
|-{{Coin-silver-color}}
| Segment of the Royal Arms
| 2008
|-{{Coin-silver-color}}
| rowspan="4" | '''[[Fifty pence (British decimal coin)|Fifty pence]]'''{{efn|group=circulating|name=circulating-5-10-50}}
| Britannia and lion
| rowspan="4" | 27.3&nbsp;mm
| rowspan="4" | 1.78&nbsp;mm
| rowspan="4" | 8&nbsp;g
| rowspan="4" | Cupronickel (3:1)
| rowspan="4" | Smooth, Reuleaux heptagon
| 1997
|-{{Coin-silver-color}}
| Various commemorative designs
| 1998
|-{{Coin-silver-color}}
| Segment of the Royal Arms
| 2008
|-{{Coin-silver-color}}
| [[Charles III|King Charles III]]
| 1953 Queen's coronation commemoration
| December 2022<ref>{{cite news |title=First King Charles 50p coins enter circulation |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-63888781 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221208012108/https://www.bbc.com/news/business-63888781|publisher=BBC |archive-date=8 December 2022|date=8 December 2022}}</ref>
|-
|{{Coin-yellow-color}}| '''[[One pound (British coin)|One pound]]'''
| rowspan="4" {{Coin-yellow-color}} | [[Charles III|King Charles III]]
|{{Coin-silver-color}}| Rose, leek, thistle, and shamrock encircled by a coronet
| {{Coin-silver-color}} style="background:#DCDCDC;" | 23.03–23.43&nbsp;mm
|{{Coin-silver-color}}| 2.8&nbsp;mm
|{{Coin-silver-color}}| 8.75&nbsp;g
|{{Coin-silver-color}}| Inner: Nickel-plated alloy<br />Outer: Nickel-brass
|{{Coin-silver-color}}| Alternately milled and plain ([[Dodecagon|12-sided]])
|{{Coin-yellow-color}}| 28 March 2017<ref name="BBCnewpound">{{cite news|title=New 12-sided pound coin to enter circulation in March|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38480180|access-date=29 March 2017|work=BBC News|date=1 January 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331162549/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38480180|archive-date=31 March 2017}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="3" {{Coin-yellow-color}} | '''[[Two pounds (British decimal coin)|Two pounds]]'''{{efn|group=circulating|name=circulating-200|This coin was originally issued in a smaller size in a single metal in 1986 for special issues only.  It was redesigned as a bi-metallic issue for general circulation in 1997.}}
|{{Coin-silver-color}}| Abstract concentric design representing technological development
| rowspan="3" {{Coin-silver-color}} | 28.4&nbsp;mm
| rowspan="3" {{Coin-silver-color}} | 2.5&nbsp;mm
| rowspan="3" {{Coin-silver-color}} | 12&nbsp;g
| rowspan="3" {{Coin-silver-color}} | Inner: Cupronickel<br />Outer: Nickel-brass
| rowspan="3" {{Coin-silver-color}} | Milled with variable inscription and/or decoration
|{{Coin-yellow-color}}| 1997 (issued 1998)
|-
|{{Coin-silver-color}}|Various commemorative designs
|{{Coin-yellow-color}}|1999
|-
|{{Coin-silver-color}}|[[Britannia]]
|{{Coin-yellow-color}}|2015
|-
|}
{{notelist|group=circulating}}

===Production and distribution===
All genuine UK coins are produced by the [[Royal Mint]]. The same coinage is used across the United Kingdom: unlike banknotes, local issues of coins are not produced for different parts of the UK. The pound coin until 2016 was produced in regional designs, but these circulate equally in all parts of the UK (see [[#UK designs|UK designs]], below).

Every year, newly minted coins are checked for size, weight, and composition at a [[Trial of the Pyx]]. Essentially the same procedure has been used since the 13th century. Assaying is now done by the [[Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths]] on behalf of [[HM Treasury]].

The 1p and 2p coins from 1971 are the oldest standard-issue coins still in circulation.  Pre-decimal crowns are the oldest coins in general that are still legal tender, although they are in practice never encountered in general circulation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.royalmintmuseum.org.uk/FAQRetrieve.aspx?ID=49901|title=How can I dispose of commemorative crowns? And why do some have a higher face value than others?|work=The Royal Mint Museum|url-status=dead|access-date=22 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200413014732/http://www.royalmintmuseum.org.uk/FAQRetrieve.aspx?ID=49901|archive-date=13 April 2020}}</ref>

Coins from the British dependencies and territories that use sterling as their currency are sometimes found in change in other jurisdictions. Strictly, they are not legal tender in the United Kingdom; however, since they have the same specifications as UK coins, they are sometimes tolerated in commerce, and can readily be used in vending machines.

UK-issued coins are, on the other hand, generally fully accepted and freely mixed in other British dependencies and territories that use the pound.

An extensive coinage redesign was commissioned by the Royal Mint in 2005, and new designs were gradually introduced into the circulating British coinage from summer 2008. Except for the £1 coin, the pre-2008 coins remain legal tender and are expected to stay in circulation for the foreseeable future.

The estimated volume in circulation {{as of|March 2016|lc=y}} is:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.royalmint.com/discover/uk-coins/circulation-coin-mintage-figures|title=Mintage Figures|work=The Royal Mint|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130517124642/http://www.royalmint.com/discover/uk-coins/circulation-coin-mintage-figures|archive-date=17 May 2013}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
! style="background:#efefef| Denomination
! style="background:#efefef | Number of<br />pieces<br />(millions)
! style="background:#efefef | Face value<br />(£m)
|-
| '''[[Two pounds (British decimal coin)|Two pounds]]'''
| style="text-align:right" | 479
| style="text-align:right" | 957.036
|-
| '''[[One pound (British coin)|One pound]]'''
| style="text-align:right" | 1,671
| style="text-align:right" | 1,671.328
|-
| '''[[Fifty pence (British decimal coin)|Fifty pence]]'''
| style="text-align:right" | 1,053
| style="text-align:right" | 526.153
|-
| '''[[British twenty-five pence coin|Twenty-five pence]]'''
| style="text-align:right" | 81
| style="text-align:right" | 20
|-
| '''[[Twenty pence (British decimal coin)|Twenty pence]]'''
| style="text-align:right" | 3,004
| style="text-align:right" | 600.828
|-
| '''[[Ten pence (British decimal coin)|Ten pence]]'''
| style="text-align:right" | 1,713
| style="text-align:right" | 171.312
|-
| '''[[Five pence (British decimal coin)|Five pence]]'''
| style="text-align:right" | 4,075
| style="text-align:right" | 203.764
|-
| '''[[Two pence (British decimal coin)|Two pence]]'''
| style="text-align:right" | 6,714
| style="text-align:right" | 134.273
|-
| '''[[Penny (British decimal coin)|One penny]]'''
| style="text-align:right" | 11,430
| style="text-align:right" | 114.299
|-
| Total
| style="text-align:right" | 30,139
| style="text-align:right" | 4,643.658
|}