Mackintosh 10p (Letter M)
The Mackintosh 10p (Letter M) is a circulating A to Z 10p with 304,000 made. Value band: small premium. Here is how to recognize it, what makes one worth more and what to check on yours.
- Year
- 2018
- Circulation mintage
- 304,000
- Value band
- Small premium
- Composition
- Nickel-plated steel
Original illustration of the coin's shape and metal. Tap to flip. Not a picture of the actual design.
Face value · Small premium · Collector premium · Significant rarity. We use bands because prices change daily.
What is a Mackintosh 10p (Letter M) worth?
The A to Z 10p coins were made in small runs for circulation (220,000 dated 2018 and 84,000 dated 2019 for this letter). They were made to be collected. A circulated Mackintosh 10p brings a small premium to collectors filling a set, more for the scarcer 2019 date and more again in uncirculated condition.
What would make yours worth more:
- The scarcer 2019 date
- Uncirculated condition
- An original collector card or pack
For market prices, look at recent sold results for the same coin in the same condition, not asking prices.
Quick answers
- Is the Mackintosh 10p (Letter M) rare?
- It is scarcer than most A to Z 10p coins. Collectors pay a small premium for good examples.
- How many Mackintosh 10p (Letter M) coins were made?
- 304,000 were struck for circulation.
- What is the Mackintosh 10p (Letter M) made of?
- Nickel-plated steel. It weighs 6.5 g and measures 24.5 mm.
- Is the Mackintosh 10p (Letter M) still legal tender?
- Yes. Every A to Z 10p is legal tender in the UK at face value.
Why the Mackintosh 10p (Letter M) was made
In 1823 the Glasgow chemist Charles Macintosh patented a way of making cloth waterproof. He dissolved rubber in naphtha and sealed it between two layers of fabric, creating a material the rain could not get through. Coats made from it soon carried his name, though the spelling picked up an extra letter along the way and the raincoat became the mackintosh, or simply the mac. Early versions turned stiff in the cold and sticky in the heat. Improvements in rubber later in the century solved most of those problems.
For a country with a reputation for rain, a reliable waterproof coat was a gift. The mackintosh became a standard part of the British wardrobe and later a fashion piece in its own right, worn by city workers, film detectives and walkers on the hills. The Royal Mint used it for the letter M in its 2018 A to Z 10p series. It is one of the more surprising picks in the set, a Scottish invention that slipped quietly into everyday life. It also tends to start conversations about where the word came from, since few people know the coat was named after a real person.
How to recognize it
A capital M is combined with a design celebrating the mackintosh raincoat, a nod to the British weather that made it so useful. The coin is made from nickel-plated steel and measures 24.5 mm across, with a weight of 6.5 g and a milled edge. Like every coin in the set, it carries Jody Clark's portrait of Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse along with the date. The M was struck for both 2018 and 2019 with the same reverse. Look at the year to see which you have, because the 2019 coin is the scarcer of the two. The folds of the coat are fine details that soften quickly with wear.
The other side carries Jody Clark's portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, introduced in 2015 and the last of her reign.
Mackintosh 10p (Letter M) by the numbers
By the numbers, the Mackintosh 10p (Letter M) ranks 18th lowest of 26 circulating A to Z 10p coins with a published mintage. The next scarcer is the Loch Ness Monster 10p (Letter L) (304,000); the next more common is the NHS 10p (Letter N) (304,000).
It was the only circulating commemorative A to Z 10p dated 2018.
Of the 304,000 Mackintosh 10p coins, 220,000 are dated 2018 and 84,000 are dated 2019. About 2.6 coins were dated 2018 for every one dated 2019, which makes 2019 the date to look for.
What to check on your Mackintosh 10p (Letter M)
- Confirm the letter and picture: M for Mackintosh, with the date 2018 or 2019.
- Check the date. The 2019 coins had much smaller runs, so the same letter is scarcer with a 2019 date.
- Look at the surfaces under a light: coins from collector packs have unbroken luster, while change-worn coins show scuffs on the letter and design.
- Keep sets in order in a holder rather than loose; scratches on the large flat letter are easy to see.
Mackintosh has mintages of 220,000 for 2018 and 84,000 for 2019, in line with most of the series. Since the theme is less obvious than a landmark or a famous character, M can be one of the letters people overlook in their change. That works in your favor if you are hunting. Check the date on any M you find. A crisp 2019 coin is worth setting aside, while a worn 2018 coin is a perfectly good space filler for your collector map.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Country | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Denomination | 10 pence |
| Issuer | Royal Mint |
| Year | 2018 |
| Circulation mintage | 304,000 |
| Composition | Nickel-plated steel |
| Weight | 6.5 g |
| Diameter | 24.5 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Milled |
| Portrait | Clark |
Other 2018 A to Z 10p coins
Frequently asked questions
What does M stand for on the A to Z 10p?
M stands for Mackintosh, the waterproof raincoat named after Charles Macintosh, the Glasgow chemist who patented his rubberized fabric in 1823. The coat became a staple of the British wardrobe.
Is the M 10p scarce?
The 2018 M coin had a mintage of 220,000, typical for the series. The 2019 date had just 84,000 and is far harder to find. Neither is a great rarity, but the 2019 coin is the one to keep.
Mintage figures: Ten pence (British coin) (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from Royal Mint figures. How we build these pages.