2000 £1 coin

[kuhli]

I have read and learned from Sylvester (where is he??) that there are a large number of counterfeit £1 coins in circulation over there. Yesterday, I received a 2000 coin from a friend in the Netherlands, and it just doesn't look right. The fields are not smooth, but have small dimples everywhere, it looks like it was cast, or else sand-blasted. What do you think??

Notice the die crack from the "D" to the edge. There is also a die crack from the second "E" (of Elizabeth) to the edge.

[tubandpud]

When I first joined the forum at the end of last year, Sylvester put me straight about a fake £l. which I

had. Since then I have looked more closely at ALL my change !!! Consequently have come across three

other obvious fake £l's. Where do they all come from ?? Mine I have found are different year dates -

very clever.

[Levi_NI]

I know for a fact that a number of fake £1 coins have been doing the rounds in Northern Ireland.. I have an article somewhere I'll try to dig out

[Emperor Oli]

That coin looks fairly undefined too, on top of the other things mentioned. I'd bet a pound to a penny that it's a fake.

[Master Jmd]

From the second picture, the edge inscription looks ok though...but yes, the other points are convinsing.

[Unknown]

For some reason I cannot see the pictures...

[Unknown]

Now they are visible.... it must be the first die crack I have seen in an English coin. I may have had some in my hands, I will never know, but never seen it before.

[mint_mark]

The things I have noticed, and now look for, are

• Obvious mistakes like wrong reverse for year or incorrect edge inscription.
  
• Sometimes the letters in the legend and date are in a different style.
  
• General softness to the design and a matt sheen.
  
• Weak edge lettering and non-central separator.
  

Apparently some have gold paint wearing off too!

But remember that the pound coins are quite soft anyway, so well circulated genuine ones look very beaten up. I remeber bashing two together when they came out and being disappointed that it left an obvious mark.

[krasnaya_vityaz]

I only have one fake, one of the Scottish variety, it is an obvious fake.

How many of these as a percentage of circulation are there?

[tubandpud]

Mark has described the ones I have. What I noticed was the gold painted one is a little bit heavier as well.

A couple of £1 coins came into my hands looking fake, but as was mentioned, they just seemed very weak and

worn, although not very old. I did give them a good study with my amatuer eyes !!

These £l coins won't be around for many years at that rate, will they ?

[TomGoodheart]

How many of these as a percentage of circulation are there?

The counterfeit coin club webpage suggests 1% of £1 coins are fake which, considering how common they are is quite a number. This one is in lead and gold paint and no, I doubt it would have lasted much longer if I hadn't taken it 'out' of circulation.