The COINEX Sale: Important British, Italian and World Coins

Elizabeth II (1952-, Elizabeth II (1952- ), Twenty-Five Pence, c. 1981, a struck cupro-nickel blank, edge plain, 4.91g. Virtually as struck, extremely rare (£40-60)

Provenance:
Joanna Tansley Collection, DNW Auction 67, 28 September 2005, lot 434.

At the beginning of the 1980s inflation meant that the purchasing power of the 10p and 5p was decreasing, and the need of a coin with a value between 10p and 50p was becoming more apparent. The 25p, struck at that time only to commemorate special events, hardly ever saw circulation because of its unwieldy size. During 1981 experiments with a small seven-sided shape produced a trial 25p, bearing an orb topped by a cross; the only surviving examples appear to be those in the Royal Mint collection. At some later stage it was decided not to proceed with a small 25p, but instead tariff the coin at 20p, in which form it was introduced in 1982. This struck blank appears to be the only survivor outside the Royal Mint from the period of these early trials