2016 New Pound Coin Varieties

[DaveG38]

Have now spent far too much time analysing specimens of the new pound coins, and have established the following varieties:

There are, so far, 10 obverses, 6 edge types and 15 reverse types. So far the combinations of these obverses, edges and reverses is as follows:

Obv 1 Edge 1 Rev A       Obv 2 Edge 2 Rev B        Obv 3 Edge 3 Rev C        Obv 4 Edge 4 Rev D        Obv 5 Edge 4 Rev E      Obv 6 Edge 3 Rev F     

Obv 6 Edge 3 Rev G       Obv 6 Edge 5 Rev H       Obv 5 Edge 5 Rev A        Obv 6 Edge 3 Rev H         Obv 7 Edge 5 Rev J         Obv 8 Edge 3 Rev K     

Obv 9 Edge 6 Rev L       Obv 9 Edge 3 Rev M        Obv 9 Edge 3 Rev N       Obv 8 Edge 2 Rev O        Obv 9 Edge 3 Rev G        Obv 10 Edge 5 Rev G     

Obv 9 Edge 5 Rev C       Obv 4 Edge 2 Rev H        Obv 8 Edge 2 Rev B        Obv 4 Edge 2 Rev A       Obv 7 Edge 2 Rev B

The key obverse indicators are the position of the truncation, the position of the top of the diadem and the gap between the 'T' and the inner ring. For the reverse, the indicators are the right hand leaf of the thistle, the part of the rose centre which is cut by the inner ring, the position of the 'D' relative to the inner ring and the position of the small DP, again in relation to the inner ring. As far as the edges go, the type is indicated by whether the milling below the shield is to the left or right and where it actually starts from. I also have one specimen where the JC on the obverse is 'squashed' into the truncation, instead of being separated from it. Not sure how that happened.

In addition, two specimens have a missing lower leg of the 'P' in 'DP'. All this from a relatively small sample of 2016 coins, which tends to suggest that the Mint's standards have slipped.

It may well be that each of the types I have analysed has other indicators that further differentiate them. To be honest my brain hurts (and my eyes) with all this checking and cross checking. If anyone is interetsed, or is doing any research themselves, I'm happy to provide details of the indicators for each type I have found.

Edited July 20, 2017 by DaveG38

[craigy]

On 7/20/2017 at 10:03 PM, DaveG38 said:

Have now spent far too much time analysing specimens of the new pound coins, and have established the following varieties:

There are, so far, 10 obverses, 6 edge types and 15 reverse types. So far the combinations of these obverses, edges and reverses is as follows:

Obv 1 Edge 1 Rev A       Obv 2 Edge 2 Rev B        Obv 3 Edge 3 Rev C        Obv 4 Edge 4 Rev D        Obv 5 Edge 4 Rev E      Obv 6 Edge 3 Rev F     

Obv 6 Edge 3 Rev G       Obv 6 Edge 5 Rev H       Obv 5 Edge 5 Rev A        Obv 6 Edge 3 Rev H         Obv 7 Edge 5 Rev J         Obv 8 Edge 3 Rev K     

Obv 9 Edge 6 Rev L       Obv 9 Edge 3 Rev M        Obv 9 Edge 3 Rev N       Obv 8 Edge 2 Rev O        Obv 9 Edge 3 Rev G        Obv 10 Edge 5 Rev G     

Obv 9 Edge 5 Rev C       Obv 4 Edge 2 Rev H        Obv 8 Edge 2 Rev B        Obv 4 Edge 2 Rev A       Obv 7 Edge 2 Rev B

The key obverse indicators are the position of the truncation, the position of the top of the diadem and the gap between the 'T' and the inner ring. For the reverse, the indicators are the right hand leaf of the thistle, the part of the rose centre which is cut by the inner ring, the position of the 'D' relative to the inner ring and the position of the small DP, again in relation to the inner ring. As far as the edges go, the type is indicated by whether the milling below the shield is to the left or right and where it actually starts from. I also have one specimen where the JC on the obverse is 'squashed' into the truncation, instead of being separated from it. Not sure how that happened.

In addition, two specimens have a missing lower leg of the 'P' in 'DP'. All this from a relatively small sample of 2016 coins, which tends to suggest that the Mint's standards have slipped.

It may well be that each of the types I have analysed has other indicators that further differentiate them. To be honest my brain hurts (and my eyes) with all this checking and cross checking. If anyone is interetsed, or is doing any research themselves, I'm happy to provide details of the indicators for each type I have found.

wow, impressive,     is this indicative of different dies being used then ?   with a billion 2016'2 i should imagine they got through a few dies , and the coins are getting ropey 

 

 

[DaveG38]

Interestingly, I've studied each and every pound coin received so far. That's a total of 23 coins and the number of types found has been 23! In other words, every coin has been slightly different. This also doesn't include those types reported by other people. For example those where the main date of the coin is 2016 and the reverse dates around the rim are 2017.   

[craigy]

the variation of tolerences of mass production are going to be epic with a billion of 2016 and 2017 each being produced  , 

[Rob]

I think there's a danger of the number of varieties being limited only by the ability to differentiate minescule differences. It could get very silly.

[Paulus]

Sorry but to say with the QC at the RM, varieties at that level are going to be almost infinite - tried pre-decimal coins?

[DaveG38]

I agree that both the quantities struck and the problems of QC at the mint probably do mean that there will be many varieties of these coins. I've examined some 24 of these coins for 2016 so far and it is striking that there are variations in 23 of them. If I were to take say the 1967 penny, and examine just 24 of those from various sources, I doubt I would find any varieties let alone 23. 

Having said that, the variations I'm finding are not miniscule, at least not when set against some of the accepted predecimal varieties. For instance, the differentiators for some predecimal types often include the pointings of letters to beads or to spaces, and also the spacing of letters and colons etc. plus, sometimes, the number of border beads or the thickness of the rim. All of the distinguishing features found so far for the 2016 £1 coins are of the same general scale. On the obverse of the new coins, the truncation can intrude into the outer ring, it can touch the ring, it can have a small gap to the ring and it can have a large gap to the ring. Ditto, the diadem can intrude into the ring, touch the ring or leave a gap to the ring. Also, the spacing of the obverse lettering from the ring varies. What is curious though is that there seem to be 10 variations, so far, of combinations of these features. Usually, with varieties you find a set of factors which combine to produce 2 or maybe 3 variants, but here there are a much larger number in a very small sample.

I don't think it makes any difference to the financial value of such coins. For the most part, they are worth £1 and that's all, but from a collecting point of view, it does mean there is quite a lot to look out for if you are a variety collector like myself.

[Cliff]

18 hours ago, DaveG38 said:

I agree that both the quantities struck and the problems of QC at the mint probably do mean that there will be many varieties of these coins. I've examined some 24 of these coins for 2016 so far and it is striking that there are variations in 23 of them. If I were to take say the 1967 penny, and examine just 24 of those from various sources, I doubt I would find any varieties let alone 23. 

Having said that, the variations I'm finding are not miniscule, at least not when set against some of the accepted predecimal varieties. For instance, the differentiators for some predecimal types often include the pointings of letters to beads or to spaces, and also the spacing of letters and colons etc. plus, sometimes, the number of border beads or the thickness of the rim. All of the distinguishing features found so far for the 2016 £1 coins are of the same general scale. On the obverse of the new coins, the truncation can intrude into the outer ring, it can touch the ring, it can have a small gap to the ring and it can have a large gap to the ring. Ditto, the diadem can intrude into the ring, touch the ring or leave a gap to the ring. Also, the spacing of the obverse lettering from the ring varies. What is curious though is that there seem to be 10 variations, so far, of combinations of these features. Usually, with varieties you find a set of factors which combine to produce 2 or maybe 3 variants, but here there are a much larger number in a very small sample.

I don't think it makes any difference to the financial value of such coins. For the most part, they are worth £1 and that's all, but from a collecting point of view, it does mean there is quite a lot to look out for if you are a variety collector like myself.

As I see it, that is an excellent summary of my understanding of the situation and would like to take this opportunity to thank you for sharing your work (to date!)?  I admire your undoubted dedication and patience.  Hope your aching head has now improved?

May I  request your breakdown for the different 10 obverses, 6 edge types and 15 reverse types?  I've had a couple of eye cataract operations over the last six months, wonderful results, and am now in a position to appreciate (if not always take in!) some of the finer detail now that I can see it! 

[DaveG38]

1 hour ago, Cliff said:

As I see it, that is an excellent summary of my understanding of the situation and would like to take this opportunity to thank you for sharing your work (to date!)?  I admire your undoubted dedication and patience.  Hope your aching head has now improved?

May I  request your breakdown for the different 10 obverses, 6 edge types and 15 reverse types?  I've had a couple of eye cataract operations over the last six months, wonderful results, and am now in a position to appreciate (if not always take in!) some of the finer detail now that I can see it! 

I'm still checking my examples and trying to sort them sensibly, so give me a short while and I'll PM you with the details.

[secret santa]

12 hours ago, DaveG38 said:

I'm still checking my examples and trying to sort them sensibly, so give me a short while and I'll PM you with the details.

I'm sure there would be general interest in these details (so please post them here).

[scott]

some of the details at a glance would be the corners some seem more rounded, not really noted anything else.