2008 Pound Coins

Royal Arms Design on Reverse of 2008 One Pound Coins

Obverse of 2008 One Pound Coin

2008 One Pound Coin in Specimen Pack

2008 One Pound Coin in Specimen Pack

According to the Royal Mint

The Royal Arms
In 2008 the £1 coin, struck by the Royal Mint to Brilliant Uncirculated standard, features on its reverse the finely detailed Royal Arms in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the modern £1 coin. The coin is displayed in an attractive folder rich in imagery and information on the numismatic history of the Royal Arms.

• Reflect proudly on a design drawing on the finest traditions of heraldic artistry


• Be one of only 100,000 collectors worldwide to own this superb set


• Delight in owning a new coin struck to the Royal Mint's rigorous standards of quality.

As a gift.

The 2008 £1 coin bears on its reverse the Royal Arms which featured on the £1 coin introduced into circulation in 1983 and is a great memento of modern numismatic history. Enhanced by a full-colour and informative presentation folder telling the story of the first pound coin, the spectacular gold sovereign, which was issued during the reign of Henry VII, and a brief outline of the adoption of the Royal Arms in numismatic history, this set is ideal to give for birthdays, anniversaries or special occasions in 2008.

Product Information
Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the modern £1 coin, the 2008 presentation folder holds the nickel-brass Brilliant Uncirculated coin featuring on its reverse the intricate depiction of the Royal Arms by Eric Sewell that was created in 1983. The folder tells the story of the first pound coin, the spectacular gold sovereign, which was issued during the reign of Henry VII. A brief outline of the adoption of the Royal Arms in numismatic history completes the presentation.

The obverse bears the portrait of Her Majesty The Queen by Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS.

Background & History
The original reverse design of the £1 coin, introduced into circulation in 1983, bore the Royal Arms with lion and unicorn supporters, a symbol of the Queen's sovereignty over the whole of the United Kingdom. This finely detailed depiction of the Royal Arms was created by Eric Sewell, a former Chief Engraver of the Royal Mint, and appears once again on the £1 coin on the occasion of its 25th anniversary. The whole is surrounded by 100 beads reflecting the 100 pennies that make up £1. On the edge of the coin is the cross-crosslet mintmark of Llantrisant and the Latin inscription DECUS ET TUTAMEN, meaning 'an ornament and a safeguard' which first appeared on the edge of coins of Charles II to deter the unscrupulous practice of clipping and shaving precious metal from the coins.

The Royal Arms, with lion and unicorn supporters, incorporates the famous motto of the Order of the Garter HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE and, in a decorative banner, the words DIEU ET MON DROIT, the motto of English monarchs since Henry V.

Obverse
The obverse bears the new fourth portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, introduced on all UK coins in 2008.

Reverse
The reverse of the coin shows the Royal Arms, and it is appropriate that it should feature on one of the nation's premier coins.
Queen Elizabeth II is a direct descendant of the Sovereigns of England, of Ireland and of Scotland. Accordingly Her Majesty is head of the oldest continuing Royal Lines in Christendom. As the embodiment of the Sovereignty of those countries, Her Majesty quarters their historic Arms.
The Royal Arms achieved their present form upon the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837 and have remained essentially the same ever since.
This design was used on the original pound coin in 1983, and was also used in 1993, each time with a different portrait on the obverse of the coin.

Edge
The edge is not only milled but also inscribed. The inscription in Latin reads:-
DECUS ET TUTAMEN
Which may be translated as "an ornament and a safeguard". This inscription dates back to the first machine-struck coins minted in 1662 and was a device to prevent "clipping".

Llantrisant Mint Mark
On the milled edge of the coin is the Llantrisant mint mark - a cross crosslet. The 1983 pound was the first United Kingdom coin to be struck with this distinctive feature. The shape of the cross alluding to Llantrisant, which translated from the Welsh means "Church or Parish of the Three Saints".

Design Competition
The design process for the pound coin began with a competition for the reverse design of the new coin. The entries were judged by the Royal Mint Advisory Committee, whose President is the Duke of Edinburgh, and the selected design by Eric Sewell, formerly Chief Engraver of the Royal Mint, was then submitted for the approval of Her Majesty The Queen.

Technical Specifications

Alloy	Nickel-Brass
Copper	70%
Zinc	24.5%
Nickel	5.5%
Diameter	22.5 mm
Weight	9.5 grams

Prices & Availability

Version	Grade	Issue Limit	Availability	Price £	Price $
Brilliant Uncirculated in Specimen Pack	Unc	December 2007	Yes	£6.95	$13
Silver Proof, Box & Certificate	FDC	TBA	TBA	£TBA	$TBA
Silver Piedfort Proof, Box & Certificate	FDC	TBA	TBA	£TBA	$TBA

Postage & Packing:
UK: At buyer's Risk £2.50 or
Fully Insured £6 (Usually by Royal Mail Special Delivery)
USA: Airmail at buyer's risk $10 or
Fully Insured $20
For further details, please see our Postage & Packing page.

Order Form - UK
Order Form - USA
Order Form - EU
Order Form - Rest of World
1999 Pound Coin - Scottish Lion

Silver Proof Pounds & Silver Piedfort Pounds

2008 Coin Sets

2008 Coins Index

If you want to find the value of a coin you own, please take a look at our page I've Found An Old Coin, What's It Worth?

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