New coins in UK

For the first time since decimalisation, Britain has radically changed the images which adorn the coinage.

Tol (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3666992.ece)

To me the concept shows to much thought for form and too little for function.

Despite being cutesy-pie clever with the jigsaw concept the lack of numerals will make them puzzling to those not literate.

They look fancy and stylish, yes. But the lack of numbers and a real way to differ them makes them probably difficult to handle in real life. It looks like they have all the same shape (just another size) and no real things like rills or something else that makes it easier for blind to use them. Are there pics from the back?

The 20p and 50p are still polygons.

Ah yes see it now.

Heh. I looked at the picture, and was about to say that they looked like they were done by a graphic designer -- then I glanced at the text and saw that they were actually done by a graphic designer :lol:

Don't like them :)

The ones we have right now are ok I think...

I like the look, very sleek. The puzzle aspect is kind of unique and fun.

Well I haven't seen British coins in awhile, but I think they look quite cool - they're pretty different :) although I'm still hoping that they'll move over to the Euro - especially now that my best friend is moving to London!

I would like to see the reverse side of the coins - it said that the Queen's portrait is on the reverse - would they have numerals on that side?

Wow the new coins definitely look different. :) They're creative looking, to say the least. Interesting puzzle design.

I had enough difficulty with the old coins, although these do look nice, they should include numerals.

I think they look rather attractive. As for the illiteracy issue, I don't think it'll be much of a problem being that the UK has a very high literacy rate and people will learn how much value each coin has anyway. I mean, does anyone really have to look at each individual coin to check its value when paying for something or do you just look at its shape and colour and hand it over?

Much of a problem I don't expect either, but it is not a question of literacy only. Anyone dependent of glasses for reading will have difficulties when the glasses lay forgotten at home or are damaged. And,as I believe someone already said, the blind will be helpless with those coins.

I think they look rather attractive. As for the illiteracy issue, I don't think it'll be much of a problem being that the UK has a very high literacy rate and people will learn how much value each coin has anyway. I mean, does anyone really have to look at each individual coin to check its value when paying for something or do you just look at its shape and colour and hand it over?
Euro was introduced 6 years ago and I still have to check if I get the coins right and they are pretty easy (compared to this), or rather should be easy, to differ.

Much of a problem I don't expect either, but it is not a question of literacy only. Anyone dependent of glasses for reading will have difficulties when the glasses lay forgotten at home or are damaged. And,as I believe someone already said, the blind will be helpless with those coins.

From looking at the coins they seem to me as though the different designs kind of come out of the coin (the only way I can describe it right now...:lol: and I'm a native English speaker!) so I think that unless there is something on the reverse to differentiate, that the blind might not have too much of a problem once they get the feel of the different designs. I hope you get what I mean cos I'm not making much sense to myself at the moment :lol:

I Don't see the problem with the new coins, they have identical shapes and sizes to the previous ones, 1p being half the size of the 2p and both having a smooth edge, 5p half the size of the 10p, with a ridged edge, 20p half the size of the 50p with a five sided shape, then the £1 which is thicker with a ridged edge. There are enough differences for a blind person to tell.

I Don't see the problem with the new coins, they have identical shapes and sizes to the previous ones, 1p being half the size of the 2p and both having a smooth edge, 5p half the size of the 10p, with a ridged edge, 20p half the size of the 50p with a five sided shape, then the £1 which is thicker with a ridged edge. There are enough differences for a blind person to tell.

I think the problem with that is people coming to the country will not a have a clue which coin is which and that could be a problem.

I think the problem with that is people coming to the country will not a have a clue which coin is which and that could be a problem.

Yea -- I'd be one of those people :lol:. Those coins all look very similar. Nice looking but it would be rather confusing to tell which coin is which and that kind of thing.

A nice look, but to me they look really weird. Each one looks incomplete (which of course it kind of is), and the actual design just looks strange. It won't impact every day life, though as not enough have been made, so I'm not worrying. :) It would be a bit confusing to find the correct money if you had a handful of change.

I think the problem with that is people coming to the country will not a have a clue which coin is which and that could be a problem.

I had that problem with the old coins as well. I was trying to pay for something at the airport, and it took me forever to figure out :lol: I think this would be a problem with any currency that isnt your own.

Slightly off-topic but I'm slightly more worried about economic projections for the near future of sterling rather than the actual designs of the coins.

Well I haven't seen British coins in awhile, but I think they look quite cool - they're pretty different :) although I'm still hoping that they'll move over to the Euro - especially now that my best friend is moving to London!
There is no chance of that happening anytime soon. Not when the political parties are pretty much divided over Europe. There is a question mark over the UK remaining in the EU. Though that comes from the Tory party.
I just wish they'd let us vote on the issue of Europe, it would make things a lot simpiler.

I would like to see the reverse side of the coins - it said that the Queen's portrait is on the reverse - would they have numerals on that side?

I believe it'll be the same design that's on the back of the current coins.
It'll only change once the Queen has popped her cloggs and Prince Charles is on the throne (if that ever happens, they may skip to William).

There is no chance of that happening anytime soon. Not when the political parties are pretty much divided over Europe. There is a question mark over the UK remaining in the EU. Though that comes from the Tory party.
I just wish they'd let us vote on the issue of Europe, it would make things a lot simpiler.
I don't think any of the three major parties are considering pulling out of the EU any time soon; joining the Eurozone can't be ruled out, though.

I believe it'll be the same design that's on the back of the current coins.
It'll only change once the Queen has popped her cloggs and Prince Charles is on the throne (if that ever happens, they may skip to William).
They sometimes change the design of the Queen's portrait - I remember the current one coming in years ago.

I think the new coins should have numerals on them as well. I know the current £1 and £2 coins don't, but it would make them more accessible to foreigners or the illiterate.

I don't think any of the three major parties are considering pulling out of the EU any time soon; joining the Eurozone can't be ruled out, though.

Well the mainstream party views are that Europe is a good thing.
Backbenchers on the Tory Party want to pull out of Europe completey (well the euroskeptics in the tory party want that to happen. Europe will probably create a lot of problems for a Cameron lead Conserative Government). The Liberal Democrats want a vote on staying or leaving the EU (they are pro European, i guess they see it as a way to get things moving if a Yes vote won).
I think it's unlikely for the time being that we'll join the Eurozone, mainly because Gordon Brown isn't keen on it (he prevented Blair from taking us into the Euro) and David Cameron would probably be committing Political suicide if he declared he wanted to scrap the pound in favour of the Euro. Cos his own party would stab him in the back so to speak because of the divisions over Europe that are still rife in the Conserative party.
The Lib Dems probably would take us into the Euro, but they have little hope of winning a General Election out right. If the next parliament is a hung Parliament then they will most likely be the power brokers i.e. they could in theory side with another party to form a unity government that has a working majority.


They sometimes change the design of the Queen's portrait - I remember the current one coming in years ago.

I think the new coins should have numerals on them as well. I know the current £1 and £2 coins don't, but it would make them more accessible to foreigners or the illiterate.

They tweak the design to reflect how she looks age wise from time to time.
Otherwise it looks near enough the same with the old Latin defender of the faith stuff (or whatever they stick on the coins).
Hopefully they will put the numerical value of the coins on the design somewhere (might happen if people get confused by the coinage, design tweak from the royal mint time).

I had enough difficulty with the old coins, although these do look nice, they should include numerals.
Though, come to think of it, none of our coins in the U.S. include numerals, either. (Heck, our dimes and quarters don't even say how many cents they are! Just "One Dime" and "Quarter Dollar".) :whistle:

I think the problem with that is people coming to the country will not a have a clue which coin is which and that could be a problem.
If you opt to travel to the UK; it's your responsibility to learn about things in the country, is it not? I would expect that currency would be a top priority to learn about if you are either moving to the UK or coming here for a holiday. And in the case of holidays, you have travel reps who will help you to understand how the currency functions and how much each coin/note is worth.

If you opt to travel to the UK; it's your responsibility to learn about things in the country, is it not? I would expect that currency would be a top priority to learn about if you are either moving to the UK or coming here for a holiday. And in the case of holidays, you have travel reps who will help you to understand how the currency functions and how much each coin/note is worth.

When Brits go abroad the vast majority expect everyone else to speak English and do very little to respect or understand the local way of life. Currency (especially if there are no numerals) can be pretty hard to understand. If in Scotland or Northern Ireland a tourist will be faced with several different types of notes for the same value of money and so may think they are fake (the new Bank of Scotland notes look like Monopoly money and many Scots have thought they were fake when first given them). Also, travel reps are only a part of package holidays, if they have organised things themselves then the tourist won't have anyone to help them out.

When Brits go abroad the vast majority expect everyone else to speak English and do very little to respect or understand the local way of life.
This is just ignorance, really. Irrelevant, anyway, currency is not that hard. I bet if you looked for it online you'd find sites to give you tips on the currency of the country which you planned to go to.

Also, if the tourist organised it themselves they need to bear a little responsibility. Just because no one's there to spoon-feed them, it doesn't mean they're completely lost.

If in Scotland or Northern Ireland a tourist will be faced with several different types of notes for the same value of money and so may think they are fake (the new Bank of Scotland notes look like Monopoly money and many Scots have thought they were fake when first given them).
There are new Bank of Scotland notes? I've yet to handle one. Though I just viewed them on Wikipedia, it says "£20", I just don't understand why anyone would be phased by something like that.

I collect coins as a hobby, a bit of an amature numismatist, and I must say the designs appear stunning, but more on the form of Art than coinage. These would be the kind of coins I would expect in a commemorative set, or special issue, much like our US State Quarters with depictions on the reverse of artwork associated with that state. They are legal tender, but are highly sought after for collections.

The concept of arranging them to form the shield makes them unique amongst legal tender. Most always the coins will depict a figure or figurehead. The Royal Shield coins will look beautiful in a collector case arranged so the shield is apparent.

This is just ignorance, really. Irrelevant, anyway, currency is not that hard. I bet if you looked for it online you'd find sites to give you tips on the currency of the country which you planned to go to.

Also, if the tourist organised it themselves they need to bear a little responsibility. Just because no one's there to spoon-feed them, it doesn't mean they're completely lost.

They won't be completely lost with notes since there is a big number on them and they could just hand over a note and expect to get change back. But with coins with no numbers and only tiny writing? I can understand why that would be hard for them, especially if they come from countries such as Japan or China where English isn't as widespread.

There are new Bank of Scotland notes? I've yet to handle one. Though I just viewed them on Wikipedia, it says "£20", I just don't understand why anyone would be phased by something like that.

Oh yes, the Monopoly money. I work in a shop and had some English students up for a field trip and were buying some kit. They went to the bank and came back asking me what the note was and if it was fake. Even English people can get confused by the Scottish notes. Have you ever tried paying for something in England with a Scottish note? Most of the time you get funny looks and there are times when it gets turned away and you have to kick up a fuss. If a tourist was in Scotland and then headed south they wouldn't know the hassle of Scottish money in England.

If you opt to travel to the UK; it's your responsibility to learn about things in the country, is it not? I would expect that currency would be a top priority to learn about if you are either moving to the UK or coming here for a holiday. And in the case of holidays, you have travel reps who will help you to understand how the currency functions and how much each coin/note is worth.

Yes but the added ambiguity doesn't really help does it?