British Twenty Pence Coin

The British decimal Twenty Pence (20p) coin was issued in June 1982 to fill in the obvious gap between the Ten Pence and Fifty Pence coins; it rapidly gained acceptance and very large numbers now circulate {Link without Title} .

The coin is minted from an alloy of 84% Copper and 16% Nickel (unlike the other 'silver' coins which are 75% copper, 25% nickel), weighs 5.00 grams and has a diameter of 21.4 millimetres. Like the fifty pence piece, the coin is not circular, but Seven-sided to aid identification. The sides are not straight but are curved so that the centre of curvature is the opposite apex of the coin – this is an Equilateral Curve (a Curve Of Constant Width ) which allows the coin to roll freely in slot machines.

The reverse of the coin, designed by William Gardner , is a crowned Tudor Rose , with the numeral "20" below the rose, the year, and TWENTY PENCE above the rose. Uniquely in modern British coinage, the inscriptions are mostly incuse; i.e. the lettering is punched into the coin rather than standing proud of it. Also, differing from other British coinage (bar the more recent £2 Coin ), the year of mintage is displayed on the tail (i.e. the opposite to the Queen's head) of the coin.

During the history of the coin so far, three different obverses have been used: between 1982 and 1984 the head of Queen Elizabeth II by Arnold Machin ; between 1985 and 1997 the head by Raphael Maklouf ; and since 1998 the head by Ian Rank-Broadley . In all cases, the inscription is ELIZABETH II D.G.REG.F.D.

As with all British coinage, the technical specifications are the same as those of coins issued by such territories as the Isle Of Man , Guernsey , Jersey , Gibraltar etc. As a result these coins can sometimes be found in circulation.

EXTERNAL LINKS

Royal Mint – 20p coin

Information About

British Twenty Pence Coin