How Much Gold Is There in a 1-Pound Coin?

By Staff WriterLast Updated December 09, 2023

There is no gold in a 1-pound coin. According to the Royal Mint, each British pound coin is made of a nickel-brass alloy that consists of 70% copper, 24.5% zinc and 5.5% nickel.

The current design of the 1-pound coin was introduced on April 23, 1983, according to the Royal Mint. Although this edition of the British pound coin contains no gold, older versions did contain the precious metal. Old English sovereigns produced between 1887 and 1932, which had a value of one pound, each contained 0.2354 ounces of fine gold, according to Hancock & Harwell, a firm specialized in the brokerage of rare coins and precious metal.