One in every thirty six one pound coins in circulation are fakes we are being told by the Royal Mint, who have been prompted to start a campaign showing the UK public how to spot the odd ones out.
Almost two million of the counterfeit coins were returned to the Royal Mint during this last financial year, double the number destroyed in the previous year.
In the first three months of this financial year 187,000 fake coins have already been taken out of circulation.
That is a staggering statistic and bearing in mind that once accepted in good faith the fake coins are rendered worthless, it is good reason to be more careful when checking the change given when making any purchases.
Attempting to pass on a coin that you have identified as a counterfeit is an offence and could lead to prosecution. Experts consider that as many as 30 million counterfeit one pound coins exist in the UK today.
Help identifying fakes:
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