Royal Mint presses last batch of 'round pound' coins

The last of the "round pound" coins are rolling off the presses in December, making way for their new-look replacement.

More than 2.2 billion circulating round £1 coins have been struck during the 32 years they have been in use.

Replacing £1 notes, the coins were first launched on April 21 1983 - the Queen's birthday - and pound coins dating back to that year can still be found in people's change today.

There have been 24 different circulating reverse designs on the £1 coin since its introduction.

Royal Mint coin press setter John Jones, who was working in the circulating coin production team at the time of the launch, said: "We were really proud when we got the £1 business - it was a feather in our caps to be striking it. Prince Charles came to strike the first one, and we all lined up to watch him arrive."

From early 2017, a new 12-sided £1 coin will be brought into circulation.

While the new coin, with a gold-coloured outer ring with a silver-coloured centre, will be reminiscent of the pre-decimalisation "threepenny bit", it will incorporate cutting-edge security features to combat counterfeiters. Around 3% of current £1 coins are fake.

As well as a ''bi-metallic'' construction similar to the existing £2 coin, the new coin will feature new banknote-strength security pioneered at the Royal Mint's headquarters in Llantrisant, South Wales.

Adam Lawrence, chief executive of the Royal Mint, said: "The end of the round £1 is a significant chapter in the Royal Mint's 1,000-year history, and I'm sure that many in Britain who have grown up with the familiar round coin will experience a certain amount of nostalgia when the last one comes off the presses.

"The Royal Mint is constantly looking to the future, however, so, whilst the round £1 has served us well, it is time to turn our attention to the new £1 that in time will be used by millions of people in Britain and become equally well-recognised across the world."