Hi all, I recently aquired a bunch of world coins. There are two one pound Brittish coins dated 1983 and 1989 with Elizabeth II on the obverse and different reverse patterns. They are thick little buggers with writing on the rims. In looking them up it seems 1983 was the first year issue with the royal seal on the reverse. The 1989 has a crown on the reverse. My question is are these cupronickle? They can't be silver right? The other question is about a coin dated 1970 with Queen Elizabeth the second on the obverse. The reverse says one dollar and hong kong. It has chinese writing too. It has the Brittish Lion standing and wearing a crown. Is the coin cupronickle? And was it made in England for use in China?
Firstly, the pounds. YYou will find that these were struck as follows: 1. Common circulation strike (Nickel Brass) 2. Brilliant Uncirculated (Nickel Brass) 3. Proof (Nickel Brass) 4. Silver Proof (Silver) - half the thickness of the ordinary brass slug. 5. Silver Piedfort Proof (Silver) - same thickness as the brass slug. The silver piedfort proof for 1983 is the key to the piedfort series and is becoming harder to find. What you have falls into to one of the five categories above. Secondly the 1970 Hong Kong dollar is CuNi (copper nickel) and was minted at the Heaton mint in Birmingham, UK.
The £1 pieces are nickel-brass coins. And while the British Royal Mint does sell silver versions of the £1 coin, those are made for collectors only. More about the regular pieces is here: http://www.royalmint.com/RoyalMint/...p_british_coinage/CoinDesign/OnePoundCoin.asp Cannot help you with the Hong Kong pieces. But back in 1970, Hong Kong was still a British colony, and the coins were used there, not in (the PR) China ... Christian
Thanks guys Well my hat's off to you two guys. I'm mostly collecting US minted coins. But got a bulk deal on world coins I just couldn't pass up. This forum is great! Thank you both.
