The most secure coin in the world

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 2017.

Milled edges – it has grooves on alternate sides.

Hidden high security feature – a high security feature is built into the coin to protect it from counterfeiting in the future.