Britain's new pound coin may not fit into vending machines

[burfordTjustice]

Outraged Brits have been left feeling shortchanged (pun intended) after learning that the British one-pound coin will take on a new shape next year, losing its roundness in favor of a pristine (and controversial) 12-sided polygon.

According to The Royal Mint, which is responsible for making and distributing all British coins, the replacement will begin circulating in March, with a six-month window before the old coin is phased out that September.

But it won’t be all plain sailing: U.K. retailers are already anticipating chaos amid concerns that millions of machines accepting cash—parking meters, vending machines, and ticket machines, for example—don’t have a slot that can accommodate the updated silver and gold colored tender.

But if the introduction of the new coin—the first time for the pound since 1983—is such an inconvenience, then why is it happening at all? The current pound has grown increasingly vulnerable to counterfeiting over the years, with around one in 30 one-pound coins discovered to be fake.

The updated design, the Royal Mint says, will be the most secure piece of currency in the world, and even has a hidden high-security feature built in to make it less replicable, in turn cutting costs for business owners who lose money by accepting fake currency, and for taxpayers, who have to pay for new currency to be made.

The U.S. is not immune to the forgery problem, either: In 2015, almost 70 percent of the $78 million fake currency found within the United States was produced via 3D-printing, says USA Today.

While the introduction of the new coin bears no relation to Brexit, it does come as the latest in a string of burdens inflicted on the British—back in September, the news arrived that U.K. citizens may have to obtain visas to travel within Europe, and earlier this month, the pound plummeted in value to a 168-year low.

The mRoyal Mint is urging retailers to start preparing for the transition now, which could cost as much as £32 million (around $39 million) to ensure every vending machine can take the new coin, and even more to replace parking machines. Still, the process won't be without snags: If you're planning a trip to Britain any time after March, especially considering how affordable it is for U.S. travelers right now, it's probably best to exchange any pound coins you have.

[MM]

On Sat, 5 Nov 2016 05:37:13 -0400, burfordTjustice
<burford...@tues.uk> wrote:

>Outraged Brits have been left feeling shortchanged (pun intended) after learning that
>the British one-pound coin will take on a new shape next year, losing its roundness
> in favor of a pristine (and controversial) 12-sided polygon.

But will it fit in a wheelbarrow?

MM

[Max Demian]

On Sat, 5 Nov 2016 05:37:13 -0400, burfordTjustice
<burford...@tues.uk> wrote:

> Outraged Brits have been left feeling shortchanged (pun intended)

after lea=

> rning that the British one-pound coin will take on a new shape next

year, l=

> osing its roundness in favor of a pristine (and controversial)

12-sided pol=
> ygon.

It's to stop the Swazis from importing loads of one lilangeni coins
(which use the same blank - whose idea was that?)

I wonder whether threepenny bits will work? (Not that I have any).

--
Max Demian

[John T]

"MM" wrote

> But will it fit in a wheelbarrow?

Very good - a bit like the old German Papiermark!

John.

[burfordTjustice]

On Sat, 5 Nov 2016 10:20:58 +0000
firemonkey <firem...@gatty.me.uk> wrote:

> Does this mean one wont be able to use the round pound coins or just
> that no more round coins will be produced? I am asking because I have
> a fair number of pound coins.
>
>
http://www.royalmint.com/help/contact-us

[Byker]

"burfordTjustice" wrote in message news:20161105053...@tues.uk...

>
> The U.S. is not immune to the forgery problem, either: In 2015, almost 70
> percent of the $78 million fake currency found within the United States
> was produced via 3D-printing, says USA Today.

Forging dollar coins wouldn't be worth the effort. They never really have
caught on with the U.S. public:
https://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/dollar_coins/

Canada has been more successful by removing their dollar bills from
circulation altogether and forcing their citizens to "accept" dollar
coins...

[harry]

That it won't fit into present vending machines is precisely the object.

[burfordTjustice]

On Sat, 5 Nov 2016 14:27:21 -0500
"Byker" <byker@do~rag.net> wrote:

> Canada has been more successful by removing their dollar bills from
> circulation altogether and forcing their citizens to "accept" dollar
> coins...

Like government run healthcare if you must force it on people
using police powers it is not a good idea.

[tim...]

"burfordTjustice" <burford...@tues.uk> wrote in message
news:20161105053...@tues.uk...

> Outraged Brits have been left feeling shortchanged

How on earth is it possible to write this article in the past tense, when
the flipping coin wont be available (to the hoi polloi) for another 6 months

[Byker]

"burfordTjustice" wrote in message news:20161106065...@tues.uk...

>
> Like government run healthcare if you must force it on people using police
> powers it is not a good idea.

They've also cut corners by introducing a two-dollar coin as well:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toonie

[Vidcapper]

I don't see that being invariably the case though - how many lives have
been saved by the compulsory use of car seatbelts, for example?


--

Paul Hyett, Cheltenham

[burfordTjustice]

On Mon, 7 Nov 2016 09:57:00 -0000 (UTC)
Jethro_uk <jeth...@hotmailbin.com> wrote:

> On Sat, 05 Nov 2016 05:37:13 -0400, burfordTjustice wrote:
>
> > But it won’t be all plain sailing: U.K. retailers are already
> > anticipating chaos amid concerns that millions of machines accepting
> > cash—parking meters, vending machines, and ticket machines, for
> > example—don’t have a slot that can accommodate the updated silver
> > and gold colored tender.
> >
>
>

> Most parking machines here which insist on *only* cash don't take the
> "new" 10p coin.

Why should anyone have to pay to park anyway?? Just more
over reach.

[JNugent]

On 07/11/2016 09:57, Jethro_uk wrote:
> On Sat, 05 Nov 2016 05:37:13 -0400, burfordTjustice wrote:
>

>> But it won’t be all plain sailing: U.K. retailers are already
>> anticipating chaos amid concerns that millions of machines accepting
>> cash—parking meters, vending machines, and ticket machines, for
>> example—don’t have a slot that can accommodate the updated silver and
>> gold colored tender.
>>
>
>

> Most parking machines here which insist on *only* cash don't take the
> "new" 10p coin.

That only means that they haven't been adjusted to react correctly to
its weight.

[Vidcapper]

Shops that have their own car parks don't normally charge, as long as
you actually shop there, but general purpose car parks do charge.
>


--

Paul Hyett, Cheltenham

[burfordTjustice]

[burfordTjustice]

Those left on the island need to be told how
to run all aspects of their lives, that is why they
are still there.

The sex tax will be implemented first half of 2017.
Enjoy!

[JNugent]

On 07/11/2016 15:35, Jethro_uk wrote:

> Personally, I don't give a rats arse what the reason is. I mean who TF is
> going to carry around obsolete coins FGS.

What do you mean, "obsolete"?

The older pressings of the coin are just as much legal tender as they
were when that size was introduced.

> Luckily in this car park, I can pay by app.

[Simon Mason]

In France, at the service stations, you got a coffee by waving your debit card near the thingy.

[Tony Dragon]

The girlfriend's got a couple.

---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus

[Vidcapper]

On 07/11/2016 19:33, burfordTjustice wrote:
> On Mon, 7 Nov 2016 17:13:34 +0000
> Vidcapper <vidca...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>> Shops that have their own car parks don't normally charge, as long as
>> you actually shop there, but general purpose car parks do charge.

>
> Why should anyone have to pay to park anyway?? Just more
> over reach.

Parking spaces are limited in the centre of towns & cities, and like any
scarce resource, the value of it goes up.

What do people do in big US towns & cities when they want to shop in the
centres?



--

Paul Hyett, Cheltenham

[Vidcapper]

On 07/11/2016 21:07, burfordTjustice wrote:

What *is* this American abhorrence of government intervention all about,
anyway?

>
> The sex tax will be implemented first half of 2017.
> Enjoy!
>

Very droll - if you though Prohibition was hard to enforce... :p


--

Paul Hyett, Cheltenham

[burfordTjustice]

Who cares we are talking the island here.

Are you moving/already in/to the US?

[burfordTjustice]

On Tue, 8 Nov 2016 07:49:50 +0000
Vidcapper <vidca...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

> What *is* this American abhorrence of government intervention all
> about, anyway?

You are the one bent on outside sources.

Are you living in/moving to America?

Why did/are you?

[JNugent]

Have you ever been to the USA?

There really isn't much shopping done in the CBDs of large cities.

[Vidcapper]

I'm am just trying to understand why you think parking should be free
everywhere?



--

Paul Hyett, Cheltenham

[Vidcapper]

Then it's a more a case of Burford not understanding the layout of our
town centres.


--

Paul Hyett, Cheltenham

[Vidcapper]

Those 2 questions are irrelevant to what I asked.
>


--

Paul Hyett, Cheltenham

[burfordTjustice]

On Tue, 8 Nov 2016 15:18:35 +0000

Vidcapper <vidca...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

> On 08/11/2016 10:51, burfordTjustice wrote:
> > On Tue, 8 Nov 2016 07:44:43 +0000
> > Vidcapper <vidca...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> >
> >> On 07/11/2016 19:33, burfordTjustice wrote:
> >>> On Mon, 7 Nov 2016 17:13:34 +0000
> >>> Vidcapper <vidca...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>> Shops that have their own car parks don't normally charge, as
> >>>> long as you actually shop there, but general purpose car parks do
> >>>> charge.
> >>
> >>>
> >>> Why should anyone have to pay to park anyway?? Just more
> >>> over reach.
> >>
> >> Parking spaces are limited in the centre of towns & cities, and
> >> like any scarce resource, the value of it goes up.
> >>
> >> What do people do in big US towns & cities when they want to shop
> >> in the centres?
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
> > Who cares we are talking the island here.
>
> I'm am just trying to understand why you think parking should be free
> everywhere?
>
>
>

Why did you try to change the subject to America?

Who cares we are talking the island here.

[Byker]

"burfordTjustice" wrote in message news:20161107160...@tues.uk...

> Those left on the island need to be told how to run all aspects of their
> lives, that is why they are still there.

British emigration continues unabated: http://tinyurl.com/okfqxm3

According to the ONS's latest figures, 641,000 immigrants came to Britain in
2014, up from 526,000 in 2013. Meanwhile, an estimated 323,000 people
emigrated during 2015: http://tinyurl.com/okfqxm3

When I first hear the term "brain drain" back in 60s, it was regarding
Britain:

http://littleatoms.com/world/can-post-brexit-britain-avoid-brain-drain

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1579345/Biggest-brain-drain-from-UK-in-50-years.html

Looks like it's still going gangbusters...

[Vidcapper]

I'm trying to give you some context!

In Britain, the majority of shopping is done in the crowded centre of
towns & cities, where parking spaces are at a premium.

I've been told that the opposite is mostly true in America, and if
that's correct, then the greater availability of parking spaces would
mean they were a less valuable commodity, and thus the risk of lost
custom by charging parking fees might well outweigh the money raised
through such fees?

--

Paul Hyett, Cheltenham

[burfordTjustice]

Well you failed...

[Vidcapper]

On 09/11/2016 10:52, burfordTjustice wrote:

>>>
>>> Why did you try to change the subject to America?
>>
>> I'm trying to give you some context!
>>
>> In Britain, the majority of shopping is done in the crowded centre of
>> towns & cities, where parking spaces are at a premium.
>>
>> I've been told that the opposite is mostly true in America, and if
>> that's correct, then the greater availability of parking spaces would
>> mean they were a less valuable commodity, and thus the risk of lost
>> custom by charging parking fees might well outweigh the money raised
>> through such fees?
>>
>
> Well you failed...

In what way - explaining the context?


--

Paul Hyett, Cheltenham

[tim...]

"Simon Mason" <swld...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:2810cfe1-e6ff-438e...@googlegroups.com...

> In France, at the service stations, you got a coffee by waving your debit
> card near the thingy.

That's sounds inefficient

one "thingy" if you want a cup of coffee

a second "thingy" if you want a cup of tea

a third "thingy" if you want a cup of cocoa

etc

[burfordTjustice]

Yes, those left will lay down and accept what is coming..
they are all pussified PC kooks.

[JNugent]

On 09/11/2016 08:30, Vidcapper wrote:
> On 08/11/2016 20:54, burfordTjustice wrote:
>> On Tue, 8 Nov 2016 15:18:35 +0000
>> Vidcapper <vidca...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>>
>>> I'm am just trying to understand why you think parking should be free
>>> everywhere?
>
>>>
>>
>> Why did you try to change the subject to America?
>
> I'm trying to give you some context!
>
> In Britain, the majority of shopping is done in the crowded centre of
> towns & cities, where parking spaces are at a premium.

No... I don't think that's true. Not any more.

It was the case (certainly) in, say, 1945, and was probably still the
case as late as the early 1970s.

But most UK shopping now is done in OOT shopping centres ("malls") or
EOT supermarkets - very American (that's because it works well for
modern living).

And a fair bit is done online. The idea that lots of people drive into
the centres of large cities to do their shopping is very dated.

> I've been told that the opposite is mostly true in America, and if
> that's correct, then the greater availability of parking spaces would
> mean they were a less valuable commodity, and thus the risk of lost
> custom by charging parking fees might well outweigh the money raised
> through such fees?

Providing free (or reduced price) parking is essential to businesses
which depend on car-borne custom, and that certainly includes businesses
selling bulky goods.