Flip it over. You’ll see a crown and a rose, a leek, a thistle, and a shamrock. That’s England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland all huddled together. Nationalist drama on a coin.
But here’s the funny part: the edge has tiny lettering that says “DECUS ET TUTAMEN.” It’s Latin for “an ornament and a safeguard.” Fancy, right? It’s also micro-engraved. You need a magnifying glass to read it. Good luck checking that in a pub.
The coin is bimetallic. That means it has two colors: gold on the outside, silver in the middle. It looks like a little spaceship. Or a fancy button from a sci-fi suit.
The Great Vending Machine Panic
When the coin dropped, chaos erupted. Vending machines freaked out. They couldn’t tell the new pound from a washer. Parking meters rejected it like a bad date.
Companies spent millions upgrading their machines. Some never did. You’d find old coin slots taped shut with a sign: “CASH ONLY, NO NEW POUND.” It was 2017’s most boring crisis.
When did the new pound coin come out in 2017? All you need to know
Train stations were the worst. Imagine trying to buy a ticket with a shiny new coin, and the machine just stares at you. Rude.
