I Just Learned The Royal Mint Hid A Pattern In Coins And I'd Never Have Noticed

You may be familiar with why pounds are referred to as "quid," or the reason behind the £1 coin having a 12-sided shape.

I had no idea that Sterling coins could come together like a Power Rangers team, and based on the reactions in the comments of the video that explained it, it seems I'm not the only one who was surprised.

In a recent Instagram Reel, Jordon Cox, also known as Coupon King, expressed surprise by saying, "I had no idea coins could create this." He then arranged several coins on a table to showcase the design that emerged.

An Instagram user mentioned that if you discover the correct UK coins ranging from 1p to 50p, and you can organize them in a shield design, it’s significant.

"I'm taken aback – and I've been a financial expert for over a decade," they said.

The Royal Mint has verified that this was done on purpose.

The Royal Mint Advisory Committee explored various designs for six coins that could function individually or be collected together as a set.

The designer who took first place was Matthew Dent, who crafted a shield design inspired by heraldry. This unique design became visible only when the coins were placed together.

He expressed that he believed a cohesive design was the key to addressing The Royal Mint's project.

"Unified in theme, design, and surface detail across the coins."

Initially, he played around with the concept of incorporating birds, structures, foliage, or coastal areas.

However, he then imagined that the six coins could come together to create a coat of arms.

He explained to the Royal Mint that the merging of the individual components of the Royal Arms into a cohesive design carries a meaningful symbolism; it represents the unity of the four nations of Britain under a single ruler.

What's Happening With The £1 Coin?

Jordon's video featured coins worth up to 50p, but it didn't cover the one-pound coin.

That makes sense—when the Royal Mint first developed the concept, they only planned to include the 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, and 50p coins.

"They mentioned that the £1 was originally excluded from the contest."

During the committee's evaluation of Matthew's designs, they realized that something essential was missing to unify the entire set. It soon became obvious that the £1 coin should be included in the new designs.

Consequently, the £1 coin displays a shield design that resembles the pattern created by the shields of the other coins.

Why is a pound referred to as a "quid"?

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