A PROCLAMATION

DETERMINING THE SPECIFICATIONS AND DESIGN FOR TWO-POUND COINS COMMEMORATING THE TWO-HUNDRED-AND-FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BIRTH OF ROBERT BURNS

ELIZABETH R.

Whereas under section 3(1)(a), (b), (cc), (d) and (dd) of the Coinage Act 1971 We have power, with the advice of Our Privy Council, by Proclamation to determine the denomination, the design and dimensions of coins to be made at Our Mint, to determine the weight and composition of coins other than gold coins or coins of silver of Our Maundy money and the remedy to be allowed in the making of such coins and to determine the percentage of impurities which such coins may contain:

And Whereas under section 3(1)(f) and (ff) of the Coinage Act 1971 We have power, with the advice of Our Privy Council, by Proclamation to direct that coins made at Our Mint other than gold, silver, cupro-nickel and bronze coins shall be current and that any coin shall be legal tender for the payment of any amount:

And Whereas under section 6(2) of the Coinage Act 1971 We have power, with the advice of Our Privy Council, by Proclamation to prescribe the composition of the standard trial plates to be used for determining the justness of coins of any metal other than gold, silver or cupro-nickel:

And Whereas it appears to Us desirable to order that, to commemorate the two-hundred-and-fiftieth anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns, there should be made at Our Mint coins of the denomination of two pounds in gold, in silver, and in cupro-nickel and nickel-brass, having joined concentric inner and outer sections, being in gold with a different coloured gold outer section, in silver with a gold-plated outer section and in cupro-nickel and nickel-brass with a cupro-nickel inner section and a nickel-brass outer section:

We, therefore, in pursuance of the said section 3(1)(a), (b), (cc), (d), (dd), (f) and (ff), the said section 6(2), and of all other powers enabling Us in that behalf, do hereby, by and with the advice of Our Privy Council, proclaim, direct and ordain as follows:

 GOLD COIN

1.	(1) A new coin of gold of the denomination of two pounds shall be made, being a coin of a standard diameter of 28.4 millimetres, being circular in shape and having joined concentric inner and outer sections.
(2) Without prejudice to section 1(2) of the Coinage Act 1971, the inner and outer sections may consist of different alloys.
(3) In the making of the said gold coin a variation from the said standard diameter of not more than 0.125 millimetres per coin shall be allowed.
(4) The approximate diameter of the inner section shall be 20 millimetres.
SILVER COIN
2.	(1) A new coin of silver of the denomination of two pounds shall be made, being a coin of a standard weight (including the gold plate) of 12 grammes, a standard diameter of 28.4 millimetres, a standard composition (excluding the gold plate) of 925 parts per thousand fine silver, being circular in shape, and having joined concentric inner and outer sections, the outer section being plated with fine gold of a standard weight of plating of 0.065 grammes.
(2) In the making of the said silver coin a remedy (that is, a variation from the standard weight, diameter or composition specified above) shall be allowed of an amount not exceeding the following, that is to say:
(a) a variation from the said standard weight of an amount per coin (measured as the average of a sample of not more than one kilogramme of the coin) of 0.095 grammes for the inner and outer sections;
(b) a variation from the said standard weight of plating of an amount per coin of 0.045 grammes;
(c) a variation from the said standard diameter of 0.125 millimetres per coin; and
(d) in relation to those parts of the coin other than the gold plating, a variation from the said standard composition of five parts per thousand fine silver.
(3) The approximate diameter of the inner section shall be 20 millimetres.
(4) The said silver coin shall be legal tender for the payment of any amount in any part of Our United Kingdom.
SILVER PIEDFORT COIN
3.	(1 ) A new coin of silver of the denomination of two pounds shall be made, being a coin of a standard weight (including the gold plate) of 24 grammes, a standard diameter of 28.4 millimetres, a standard composition (excluding the gold plate) of 925 parts per thousand fine silver, being circular in shape, and having joined concentric inner and outer sections, the outer section being plated with fine gold of a standard weight of plating of 0.085 grammes.
(2) In the making of the said silver coin a remedy (that is, a variation from the standard weight, diameter or composition specified above) shall be allowed of an amount not exceeding the following, that is to say:
(a) a variation from the said standard weight of an amount per coin (measured as the average of a sample of not more than one kilogramme of the coin) of 0.145 grammes for the inner and outer sections;
(b) a variation from the said standard weight of plating of an amount per coin of 0.045 grammes;
(c) a variation from the said standard diameter of 0.125 millimetres per coin; and
(d) in relation to those parts of the coin other than the gold plating, a variation from the said standard composition of five parts per thousand fine silver.
(3) The approximate diameter of the inner section shall be 20 millimetres.
(4) The said silver coin shall be legal tender for the payment of any amount in any part of Our United Kingdom.

 CUPRO-NICKEL AND NICKEL-BRASS COIN

4 .	(1) A new coin of cupro-nickel and nickel-brass of the denomination of two pounds shall be made, being a coin of a standard weight of 12 grammes, a standard diameter of 28.4 millimetres, being circular in shape and having joined concentric inner and outer sections, with a standard composition as to the inner section of seventy-five per centum copper and twenty - five per centum nickel, and as to the outer section of seventy-six per centum copper, four per centum nickel and twenty per centum zinc.
(2) In the making of the said cupro-nickel and nickel-brass coin a remedy (that is, a variation from the standard weight, diameter or composition specified above) shall be allowed of an amount not exceeding the following, that is to say:
(a) a variation from the said standard weight of an amount per coin (measured as the average of a sample of not more than one kilogramme of the coin) of 0.1 grammes for the inner and outer sections;
(b) a variation from the said standard diameter of 0.125 millimetres per coin; and
(c) a variation from the said standard composition as to the inner section of two per centum copper and two per centum nickel, and as to the outer section of two per centum copper, three-quarters of one per centum nickel and two per centum zinc.
(3) The approximate diameter of the inner section shall be 20 millimetres.
(4) The inner and outer sections of the said coin may contain impurities of three-quarters of one per centum.
(5) The said cupro-nickel and nickel-brass coin shall be current and shall be legal tender for the payment of any amount in any part of Our United Kingdom.
(6) The composition of the standard trial plates to be used for determining the justness of the nickel-brass outer section of the said coin shall be pure copper, pure nickel and pure zinc.
DESIGN OF THE COINS
5.	The design of the said coins shall be as follows:

‘For the obverse impression Our effigy with the inscription “• ELIZABETH • II • D • G • REG • FID • DEF •” and the date “2009”, and for the reverse a design featuring a quote from the song

Auld Lang Syne, “WE’LL TAK A CUP A’ KINDNESS YET, FOR AULD LANG SYNE”, the calligraphy of which is based on the handwriting of Robert Burns. The reverse design is surrounded by the inscription “1759 ROBERT BURNS 1796” and the denomination “TWO POUNDS”. The said coins will have a graining upon the edge and in incuse letters the inscription “SHOULD AULD ACQUAINTANCE BE FORGOT •”, save for the gold coin where the incuse letters will be accompanied by a plain edge’.

6.	This Proclamation shall come into force on the tenth day of October Two thousand and eight.

Given at Our Court at Buckingham Palace, this ninth day of October in the year of our Lord Two thousand and eight and in the fifty-seventh year of Our Reign.

GOD SAVE THE QUEEN