Elizabeth II 4th portrait; Royal Shield, non-magnetic

Description

This is the 2008 BU issue with a mintage of 20,000. Introduced in 2008 when the small coinage designs were changed from the Emblems of Britain to the Royal Shield of Arms. The 2008 coin was issued part way through the year so was not part of the annual coin sets but was issued in both a Brilliant Uncirculated set (issue limit: 100,000) and a Proof set (issue limit: 20,000). This design was also issued in silver proof, silver piedfort, gold proof and platinum proof.© The Royal Mint, 2008The 2015 strike was issued as part of the dual set to commemorate the change from the fourth to fifth portraits and was also struck in silver proof, gold proof and platinum proof.©The Royal Mint, 2015The following message was received from the Royal Mint Museum circulating coin team:"The mintage figures shown on the Royal Mint’s website for 2011 (https://www.royalmint.com/currency/uk-currency/mintages/5-pence/) are quantities of nickel-plated steel coins only. There were no cupro-nickel 5 and 10 pence pieces issued after 2010."It has been reported that there are some 2008 strikes which have a rotation alignment up to 180 degrees making the coin appear to have coin alignment.