It is unlikely that there are any fake five pound coins in circulation simply because they are commemorative coins and therefore do not see much circulation, you'd get enough funny looks as it is trying to spend a 5 pound coin. However, there have been reports of people passing off 25p crown sized coins as 5 pound coins. If the coin doesn't say "Five Pounds" on it (and it isn't a gold 5 pound coin!) it has a face value of only 25p.
From its 2009-2010 Annual Report, The Royal Mint advises that as of 31-Mar-2010, there were 1,474,000,000 One Pound coins in circulation.
The Royal Mint further advises that -
Regular surveys are undertaken by the Royal Mint to establish the incidence of £1 counterfeit coins. The most recent survey indicated a counterfeit rate of around 2.5%.
That is about 36,850,000 fake One Pound coins.
The Royal Mint estimates that approximately 2.5% of circulating One Pound coins are fakes.
See the link below for a Royal Mint article on counterfeit One Pound coins.
All genuine British general circulation One Pound coins are 3.15 mm thick. It is possible that one of the many types of fake One Pound coins may be thinner.
The Royal Mint produced 89.886 million 1996 One Pound coins, many of which are still in circulation.
British general circulation Two Pound coins are made from a nickel-brass alloy. In many years, the Royal Mint also produces a Proof in silver FDC Two Pound coin and occasionally, a Proof piedfort in silver FDC Two Pound coin. These coins are not intended for circulation since their value is much greater than Two Pounds.
1 in 10 tens coins in the world are fake
British currency currently in circulation -One pennyTwo penceFive penceTen penceTwenty penceFifty penceOne poundTwo poundsFive Pound coins (occasionally seen in circulation)Five Pound noteTen Pound noteTwenty Pound noteFifty Pound note
A pound of silver coins is about $500.00
100x1p coins make a pound..
1 pound coin = 9.5g 1lb = 453.59g 453.59/9.5 = 47.78 coins, you'll need 48 coins to make the pound weight.
As at May 2013, the British general circulation coinage consists of - 1 Penny 2 Pence 5 Pence 10 Pence 20 Pence 50 Pence 1 Pound 2 Pound coins. The Five Pound (Crown) coin is legal tender, but is not widely accepted due to its unfamiliarity.
See the link below.
1,300 divided by 1 = 1,300 One Pound coins
For 1998, the mintage data for coins issued for circulation is 15,665,368,500.