Until the introduction of the dodecagonal bimetallic pound coin in March 2017, the round pounds had suffered extensively at the hands of counterfeiters. The problem began almost immediately after their introduction in 1983. Of the 1.5 billion or so round pounds in circulation in 2016 it was estimated that 3% were counterfeit. Now that the coins are no longer circulating, and ceased to be legal tender in October 2017, this might be a useful time to make some observations about these counterfeits before they are forgotten and lost. The counterfeits fall into several groups and in this first article I will make some brief observations about the lead alloy issues which were typically produced between 1983 and 2006.
Counterfeit Round Pound Coins (i) Lead Alloy Issues – G. Oddie
BNS Research Blog 
Very interesting article, especially as you say they are so recent. Has anyone been successfully prosecuted for making these fakes? If so, those details would be an excellent addition to the records.
Hi Eric, That’s an excellent idea, I have a small collection of news cuttings etc about prosecutions, will do a short note on the topic to keep everything together. I’m also happy for other readers to add to the topic.