The new 12-sided £1 coin became legal tender on 28 March 2017. Launched for circulation by the Royal Mint as "The world's most secure coin".

500 million circulation issues dated 2016 but not released until 2017.

The new coin has a number of features that make it much more difficult to counterfeit.

12-sided – its distinctive shape makes it instantly recognisable, even by touch.

Bimetallic – it is made of two metals. The outer ring is gold coloured (nickel-brass) and the inner ring is silver coloured (nickel-plated alloy).

Latent image – it has an image like a hologram that changes from a ‘£’ symbol to the number '1' when the coin is seen from different angles.

Micro-lettering – it has very small lettering on the lower inside rim on both sides of the coin. One pound on the obverse “heads” side and the year of production on the reverse “tails” side, for example 2016 or 2017.

Obverse
Fifth crowned portrait of HM Queen Elizabeth II facing right, wearing the George IV State Diadem, with a holographic image below the bust
Engraver: Jody Clark

Reverse
A design showing the English rose, the Welsh leek, the Scottish thistle and the Northern Irish shamrock emerging from one stem within a royal coronet.
ngraver: David Pearce

Edge
Segmented reeding (milled on alternate edges)

Metal
Bimetallic: Copper-nickel center in Nickel-brass ring

Shape
Dodecagonal (12-sided)