Although we are into the year of our Salvation Two Thousand and Ten, here in Belfast it seems that coin of the realm from the year 2008 is only now making its way into our pockets, and from our pockets into the palms of shopkeepers throughout the city.

It seems usual for Northern Ireland to be one of the last parts of the United Kingdom to get the new coins of each year, however, with the change in the design of the coins in 2008, Belfast retailers are now rejecting actual coin of the realm.

Why?

Because the Police Service of Northern Ireland warned traders last week that counterfeit coins often have no dots round the circumference of the obverse of the coins. This would have been fine – apart from the fact that the new coins have no dots!

Fortunately The Royal Mint have a handy poster to show the correct £1 coins since they were first introduced in 1983.

Royal Mint £1 coin poster