It was decided that from 1984, British £1 coins would feature different reverse designs for each of the four parts of the United Kingdom. All £1 coins dated 1995 feature on the reverse a dragon, which appears on the badge and national flag of Wales.
Wales has a population of approximately 2.75 million and covers about one twelfth of the land area of the United Kingdom. The edge is not only milled but also inscribed. The inscription in Welsh reads:
"PLEIDIOL, WYF I'M GWLAD"
This means "True am I to my country".
The cross-crosslet mintmark of the Royal Mint Llantrisant also appears on the edge.
The dragon had been recognised as the emblem of Wales since the middle of the 16th century. Its association with Wales can in fact be traced back to the battle of Heathfield in 633 AD, when St. David persuaded his countrymen to distinguish themselves from their Saxon foes by wearing a dragon in their caps.
In 1301 Edward I conferred the title Prince of Wales on his son Edward, who had been born some years earlier at Caernavon. Since that time the heir to the throne has usually, though not invariably, been created Prince of Wales.
Many will remember the colourful investiture ceremony at Caernavon in July 1969 for Prince Charles, who was created Prince of Wales in 1958. His ostrich feather badge, the distinctive badge of the Heir Apparent since Tudor times, currently appears on the reverse on the 2p.
On 28 March 2017, the circulated round pound was replaced by the 12 sided £1 coin. On the 15 October the round £1 coin will cease to be legal tender.
One Pound Coin Designs, The Complete Collection 1983 - 2017
Introducing the New 12 Sided One Pound Coin
The obverse bears the fourth portrait of Queen Elizabeth II.
A dragon above the value "ONE POUND".
The dragon, which appears on the badge and flag of Wales, is a potent expression of the strength, fire and spirit of the national character and its depiction on the reverse of the one pound coin embodies centuries of Welsh symbolism. With wings elevated, it has been modelled by Norman Sillman from a drawing provided by the College of Arms.
Early reference to the red dragon is made by the eight-century writer Nenius, who tells the story of the battle that raged between a red and a white dragon beneath the site of Vortigern's castle in Snowdonia. The white dragon is overcome and expelled by the red dragon, and since the appearance of this tale the red dragon has been linked with the great Welsh Princes. A similar story appears in The Mabinogion, where the fighting dragons are trapped in a stone coffer and buried at Dinas Emrys so that their strength would protect Britain.
Version | Diameter (mm) | Weight (grams) | Metal | Alloy | Actual Metal Weight (troy ounces) | Issue Limit |
Ordinary Circulation | 22.50 | 9.50 | Nickel-brass | 34,503,501 | ||
Uncirculated in Folder | 22.50 | 9.50 | Nicke-brass | Included above | ||
Silver Proof | 22.50 | 9.50 | Silver | 0.925 Silver | 0.2825 | 27,445 |
Piedfort Silver Proof | 22.50 | 19 | Silver | 0.925 Silver | 0.5650 | 8,458 |
You can find more information on payment and identification requirements.
Bullion coins are provided as is and on occasion may have some minor scratches or edge knocks. These are not regarded as faulty or damaged goods as their precious metal content and value as a bullion coin is not affected. Any coin sold for a value less than a 180% intrinsic is considered a bullion coin.
Gold investment products are VAT free. Silver investment products are inclusive of VAT at the current rate unless otherwise stated.
All investment products are based on the live precious metal price. Prices will be fixed once the item has been added to the basket and recalculates just before checking out.
If your product is not a graded coin and is considered a bullion item, it should be noted that these are bought and sold on low premiums over their precious metal content and not solely for aesthetic purposes; therefore, some products may have edge knocks and/or marks. These edge knocks and marks do not alter the specifications of the coins.
Please note that all investment products are exempt from the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 and therefore customers do not have the right to cancel their order once the order has been accepted. If customers no longer wish to go ahead with their investment purchase, there is an option to sell the products back to Chard (1964) Ltd instead. View our current buy back prices.
View our full Terms & Conditions.
We aim to dispatch orders within 48 hours of receiving cleared funds. Our standard delivery methods are as follows.
If you wish to have your order sent by an alternative method (e.g., Saturday Guaranteed) please contact +441253343081 for more information. Please note, we will not dispatch high value orders over a bank holiday weekend.
For international delivery, please check with your local customs office for more information on custom duty and taxes.
Full delivery information can be found by clicking here.
We offer fully insured delivery on all special delivery options. We do need to pass on the cost of this insurance as it soon adds up shipping high value gold and silver products.
If you require any assistance, please do not hesitate to call the showroom on +441253343081 and one of our team can discuss your purchase.