Coins of the pound sterling

The standard circulating coinage of the United Kingdom, British Crown Dependencies and British Overseas Territories is denominated in pennies and pounds sterling, and ranges in value from one penny sterling to two pounds. Since decimalisation, on 15 February 1971, the pound has been divided into 100 pence. Before decimalisation, twelve pence made a shilling, and twenty shillings made a pound.
British coins are minted by the Royal Mint in Llantrisant, Wales. The Royal Mint also commissions the coins' designs; however they also have to be accepted by the reigning monarch.
In addition to the circulating coinage, the UK also mints commemorative decimal coins in the denomination of five pounds, ceremonial Maundy money in denominations of 1, 2, 3 and 4 pence in sterling silver and bullion coinage of gold sovereigns, half sovereigns, and gold and silver Britannia coins are also produced. Some territories outside the United Kingdom, which use the pound sterling, produce their own coinage, with the same denominations and specifications as the UK coinage but with local designs; these coins are not legal tender in the mainland United Kingdom.

Currently circulating coinage

The current decimal coins consist of:

one penny and two pence in copper-plated steel
five pence and ten pence in nickel-plated steel
equilateral curve heptagonal twenty pence and fifty pence in cupronickel
bimetallic one pound and two pounds.

All circulating coins have an effigy of one of two monarchs on the obverse; various national, regional and commemorative designs on the reverse; and the denomination in numbers or words.
;Elizabeth II: The obverse carries an abbreviated Latin inscription whose full form,, translates to "Elizabeth II, by the grace of God, Queen and Defender of the Faith". The denomination is usually on the reverse.
;Charles III: The obverse carries an abbreviated, anglicised Latin inscription whose full form,, translates to "Charles III, by the grace of God, King and Defender of the Faith". The denomination may be on either side.

Denomination	Obverse	Reverse	Diameter	Thickness	Mass	Composition	Edge	Introduced
One penny	Queen Elizabeth II	Crowned portcullis with chains Segment of the Royal Arms	20.3 mm	1.52 mm	3.56 g	Bronze	Smooth	1971
One penny	Queen Elizabeth II	Crowned portcullis with chains Segment of the Royal Arms	20.3 mm	1.65 mm	3.56 g	Copper-plated steel	Smooth	1992
One penny	King Charles III	Hazel dormouse	20.3 mm	1.65 mm	3.56 g	Copper-plated steel	Smooth	Not in circulation
Two pence	Queen Elizabeth II	Plume of ostrich feathers within a coronet Segment of the Royal Arms	25.9 mm	1.85 mm	7.12 g	Bronze	Smooth	1971
Two pence	Queen Elizabeth II	Plume of ostrich feathers within a coronet Segment of the Royal Arms	25.9 mm	2.03 mm	7.12 g	Copper-plated steel	Smooth	1992
Two pence	King Charles III	Red squirrel	25.9 mm	2.03 mm	7.12 g	Copper-plated steel	Smooth	Not in circulation
Five pence	Queen Elizabeth II	Crowned thistle Segment of the Royal Arms	18 mm	1.7 mm	3.25 g	Cupronickel	Milled	1990
Five pence	Queen Elizabeth II	Crowned thistle Segment of the Royal Arms	18 mm	1.89 mm	3.25 g	Nickel-plated steel	Milled	2012
Five pence	King Charles III	Oak tree leaf	18 mm	1.89 mm	3.25 g	Nickel-plated steel	Milled	2025
Ten pence	Queen Elizabeth II	Crowned lion Segment of the Royal Arms	24.5 mm	1.85 mm	6.5 g	Cupronickel	Milled	1992
Ten pence	Queen Elizabeth II	Crowned lion Segment of the Royal Arms	24.5 mm	2.05 mm	6.5 g	Nickel-plated steel	Milled	2012
Ten pence	King Charles III	Capercaillie	24.5 mm	2.05 mm	6.5 g	Nickel-plated steel	Milled	Not in circulation
Twenty pence	Queen Elizabeth II	Crowned Tudor Rose	21.4 mm	1.7 mm	5 g	Cupronickel	Smooth, Reuleaux heptagon	1982
Twenty pence	Queen Elizabeth II	Segment of the Royal Arms	21.4 mm	1.7 mm	5 g	Cupronickel	Smooth, Reuleaux heptagon	2008
Twenty pence	King Charles III	Puffin	21.4 mm	1.7 mm	5 g	Cupronickel	Smooth, Reuleaux heptagon	Not in circulation
Fifty pence	Queen Elizabeth II	Britannia and lion	27.3 mm	1.78 mm	8 g	Cupronickel	Smooth, Reuleaux heptagon	1997
Fifty pence	Queen Elizabeth II	Various commemorative designs	27.3 mm	1.78 mm	8 g	Cupronickel	Smooth, Reuleaux heptagon	1998
Fifty pence	Queen Elizabeth II	Segment of the Royal Arms	27.3 mm	1.78 mm	8 g	Cupronickel	Smooth, Reuleaux heptagon	2008
Fifty pence	King Charles III	Various commemorative designs	27.3 mm	1.78 mm	8 g	Cupronickel	Smooth, Reuleaux heptagon	December 2022
Fifty pence	King Charles III	Atlantic salmon	27.3 mm	1.78 mm	8 g	Cupronickel	Smooth, Reuleaux heptagon	2023
One pound	Queen Elizabeth II	Rose, leek, thistle, and shamrock encircled by a coronet	23.03–23.43 mm	2.8 mm	8.75 g	Inner: Nickel-plated alloy Outer: Nickel-brass	Alternately milled and plain	28 March 2017
One pound	King Charles III	Bees	23.03–23.43 mm	2.8 mm	8.75 g	Inner: Nickel-plated alloy Outer: Nickel-brass	Alternately milled and plain	2024
Two pounds	Queen Elizabeth II	Abstract concentric design representing technological development	28.4 mm	2.5 mm	12 g	Inner: Cupronickel Outer: Nickel-brass	Milled with variable inscription and/or decoration	1997
Two pounds	Queen Elizabeth II	Various commemorative designs	28.4 mm	2.5 mm	12 g	Inner: Cupronickel Outer: Nickel-brass	Milled with variable inscription and/or decoration	1999
Two pounds	Queen Elizabeth II	Britannia	28.4 mm	2.5 mm	12 g	Inner: Cupronickel Outer: Nickel-brass	Milled with variable inscription and/or decoration	2015
Two pounds	King Charles III	Various commemorative designs	28.4 mm	2.5 mm	12 g	Inner: Cupronickel Outer: Nickel-brass	Milled with variable inscription and/or decoration	2023
Two pounds	King Charles III	National flowers: rose, daffodil, thistle and shamrock	28.4 mm	2.5 mm	12 g	Inner: Cupronickel Outer: Nickel-brass	Milled with variable inscription and/or decoration	Not in circulation

Production and distribution

All genuine UK coins are produced by the Royal Mint. The same coinage is used across the United Kingdom: unlike banknotes, local issues of coins are not produced for different parts of the UK. The pound coin until 2016 was produced in regional designs, but these circulate equally in all parts of the UK.
Every year, newly minted coins are checked for size, weight, and composition at a Trial of the Pyx. Essentially the same procedure has been used since the 13th century. Assaying is now done by the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths on behalf of HM Treasury.
The 1p and 2p coins from 1971 are the oldest standard-issue coins still in circulation. Pre-decimal crowns are the oldest coins in general that are still legal tender, although they are in practice never encountered in general circulation.
Coins from the British dependencies and territories that use sterling as their currency are sometimes found in change in other jurisdictions. Strictly, they are not legal tender in the United Kingdom; however, since they have the same specifications as UK coins, they are sometimes tolerated in commerce, and can readily be used in vending machines.
UK-issued coins are, on the other hand, generally fully accepted and freely mixed in other British dependencies and territories that use the pound.
An extensive coinage redesign was commissioned by the Royal Mint in 2005, and new designs were gradually introduced into the circulating British coinage from summer 2008. Except for the £1 coin, the pre-2008 coins remain legal tender and are expected to stay in circulation for the foreseeable future.
The estimated volume in circulation as of 2016 is:

Denomination	Number of pieces	Face value
Two pounds	479	957.036
One pound	1,671	1,671.328
Fifty pence	1,053	526.153
Twenty-five pence	81	20
Twenty pence	3,004	600.828
Ten pence	1,713	171.312
Five pence	4,075	203.764
Two pence	6,714	134.273
One penny	11,430	114.299
Total	30,139	4,643.658