# Where's This Coin From? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 5, 2003, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-this-coin-from/166677 "2003-04-05T13:56:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-this-coin-from/166677/1 "2003-04-05T13:56:50Z")
I’ve found a coin, that’s obviously from a former English colony, but I can’t figure out any more about it. On the face of the coin is the profile of Elizabeth II, the words “Elizabeth II” above the profile, below that are the letters “D. G. REG. F. D.” On the obverse of the coin, it says, “Twenty Pence” there’s a flower, with the crown above it, and the date of 1982. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-this-coin-from/166677/2 "2003-04-05T14:02:46Z")
According to [this site](http://www.tclayton.demon.co.uk/dec20.html), it’s English. As in from England. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-this-coin-from/166677/3 "2003-04-05T14:11:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Q.E.D. \* > \*\*According to [this site](http://www.tclayton.demon.co.uk/dec20.html), it’s English. As in from England. \*\* Funny, not that I’m doubting your cite at all, I showed it to a couple of folks who’d been to England (since 1982), and none of them recognized the coin. Wonder why? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-this-coin-from/166677/4 "2003-04-05T14:28:53Z")
Beats heck out of me, but the descriptions _seem_ to match. Any chance of putting up a photo someplace? ---
**Author:** ![Iteki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/eada6e/32.png) [@Iteki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iteki)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-this-coin-from/166677/5 "2003-04-05T14:30:50Z")
Describe the flower? I know pound coins at least come in various “flavours”, with for example the scottish pound coin having a thistle. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-this-coin-from/166677/6 "2003-04-05T14:39:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Iteki \* > \*\*Describe the flower? I know pound coins at least come in various “flavours”, with for example the scottish pound coin having a thistle. \*\* Well, there’s thorns on the stems of the flower. If you’re familiar with the Lutheran Church, the flower looks similar to the flower associated with that church sans the heart. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-this-coin-from/166677/7 "2003-04-05T14:41:28Z")
Like [this](http://www.tclayton.demon.co.uk/pics/dec/20/2082r.jpg)? ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-this-coin-from/166677/8 "2003-04-05T14:46:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Q.E.D. \* > \*\*Like [this](http://www.tclayton.demon.co.uk/pics/dec/20/2082r.jpg)? \*\* That’s it exactly! ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-this-coin-from/166677/9 "2003-04-05T14:52:18Z")
Well, that’s from the site I originally posted. Guess you didn’t click the links and look at the pretty pictures. 😛 Anyway, glad to help. I’m guessing old coins are quickly taken out of circulation in the UK, which is why your friends didn’t see one like that. ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-this-coin-from/166677/11 "2003-04-05T16:27:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Q.E.D. \* > \*\*I’m guessing old coins are quickly taken out of circulation in the UK, which is why your friends didn’t see one like that. \*\* Not at all. Until fairly recently, we still even had a few pre-decimal coins floating around. I’m puzzled why Tuckerfan’s friends didn’t recognise the coin. It’s the standard design twenty pence piece – certainly other coins have several variations, but I can’t think that there’s ever been one for the 20p. And it’s a common enough coin – I have three in my pocket as I write this. I suppose they just weren’t paying much attention to their small change when they were here. ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-this-coin-from/166677/12 "2003-04-05T18:07:55Z")
Incidentally, Tuckerfan, I don’t mean this in any way as a criticism, but I was interested to see that in your clear, concise and accurate description of the coin, you failed to mention one of its most obvious distinguishing features: it has seven sides. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2003, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-this-coin-from/166677/13 "2003-04-06T03:18:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by WotNot \* > \*\*Incidentally, Tuckerfan, I don’t mean this in any way as a criticism, but I was interested to see that in your clear, concise and accurate description of the coin, you failed to mention one of its most obvious distinguishing features: it has seven sides. \*\* Well, I composed the OP after consuming about half a bottle of scotch, and I couldn’t think of a way to mention the sides of the coin without it sounding like a die. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2003, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-this-coin-from/166677/14 "2003-04-06T03:20:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tuckerfan \* > **Well, I composed the OP after consuming about half a bottle of scotch…** At 8:56 in the morning?? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2003, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-this-coin-from/166677/15 "2003-04-06T03:24:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Q.E.D. \* > \*\*At 8:56 in the morning?? :eek: \*\* Scotch-- It’s not just for breakfast anymore! 😃 (I work 3rd shift, so whilst it might have been 8:56 in the AM, it was my time to unwind before I went to beddy-bye.) ---
**Author:** ![samarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@samarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samarm)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2003, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-this-coin-from/166677/16 "2003-04-06T03:31:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tuckerfan \* > \*\*Well, I composed the OP after consuming about half a bottle of scotch, and I couldn’t think of a way to mention the sides of the coin without it sounding like a die. \*\* Sorry, but this made me LOL for some reason. Reminds me of the drink fuelled Virginity AKA Big Dick thread a while back. Keep up the good work, **Tuckerfan**! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2003, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-this-coin-from/166677/17 "2003-04-06T06:29:41Z")
UK coins typically stay in curculation for many decades. The reason that you don’t see many very elderly coins nowadays is that we have had currency changes along with a few additions and some coins superceded by smaller versions of the same thing. I remember in the late 60’s and early 70’s it was not at all unusual to use coins dated around 1900, I once had a sixpence dated 1877 which I obviously kept, sold it during the silver jubilee year to a collector who was making an anniversary montage. You still see coins around dating from 1972 onwards, they will probably be around for some time yet. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2003, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-this-coin-from/166677/18 "2003-04-06T07:12:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tuckerfan \* > \*\*the letters “D. G. REG. F. D.” \*\* In case you’re wondering what this means, it is (I think) _Dei Gratia, Regina, Fidei Defensor_ (“By the grace of God, Queen, Defender of the Faith”). My Canadian coins have “D. G. Regina” but not “F.D.” My Bermuda ten cent piece has neither. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2003, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-this-coin-from/166677/19 "2003-04-06T12:54:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by samarm \* > \*\*Sorry, but this made me LOL for some reason. Reminds me of the drink fuelled Virginity AKA Big Dick thread a while back. Keep up the good work, **Tuckerfan**! 😃 \*\* I assume I can call on you when I need a liver transplant? 😉 **bibliophage** , thanks, I _was_ wondering what those letters stood for.