THE MANX ROUND POUND
Did you know?
The 'Manx Round Pound' is considered world's first decimal £1 coin.
The first £1 coins were circulated in the UK in 1983 replacing the £1 bank notes. However, £1 coins first entered circulation in the Isle of Man five years earlier in 1978 featuring the Manx Treskellion (pictured).
The coin was 22mm in diameter, only 1.45mm thick and weighing just 4g, however it was not popular at the time and was eventually withdrawn and replaced with £1 coins which met the standard UK specification being slightly larger and double the weight.
Since decimalisation in 1971; the Isle of Man has been at the forefront of coin production and whilst UK coinage is legal tender in the Isle of Man, it does have it's own treasury who produce both circulating and non-circulating commemorative coins each year including the first circulating £5 coin. The Isle of Man coins, particularly commemorative sets, are highly collectible with some designs considered extremely rare and valuable.
Furthermore, the round pound coin continues to live on in the Isle of Man, despite these being withdrawn from circulation in the UK in 2017 after the introduction of the new 12-sided bi-metallic £1 coin. The Isle of Man does not currently have any plans to circulate it's own 12-sided £1 coin.
The 1978 Isle of Man £1 coin is on sale at Romiley Coins via our eBay store, alongside many other Isle of Man designs, old UK 'round pounds' and the brand new King Charles Bees £1 coin.
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