1981 Royal Mint Trial Piece

Item Description

1981 Royal Mint 25p trial piece with seven sides, struck in nickel-brass alloy. Obverse: orb in centre with 'ROYAL MINT TRIAL' above and seven national flower emblems below, including a rose, daffodils, shamrocks and thistles. Reverse: old-style Royal Mint logo with a crowned shield of royal arms flanked by a tiny Tower of London emblem and a Tudor Rose, 'EXPERIMENTAL COIN' above and the date (1981) below. Weight: 5.7g. Composition: XRF tested as 68% copper, 16% zinc, 16% nickel (nickel brass). 

This 25p trial coin was struck by The Royal Mint in 1981 as part of an experiment to create a coin that filled the gap between the 10p and the 50p. At the time, the 25p was a purely commemorative denomination used for Crown-sized coins. The experimental 25p coin never entered general circulation, but 20p coins with the same equilateral curve heptagon shape and a raised rim were introduced in 1982. A survey of previous auction results suggests that only two other nickel brass examples are scarce compared to more common cupronickel examples.