2018 1p Coin
The 2018 1p is a Royal Mint collector issue that was never released into circulation. Value band: small premium. Here is how to recognize it, what makes one worth more and what to check on yours.
- Year
- 2018
- Issued as
- Collector packs and sets only
- Value band
- Small premium
- Composition
- Copper-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 2018 1p worth?
No 2018 1p coin was issued for circulation: the Royal Mint struck that date only for its annual collector sets (33,086 reported). A set coin that was spent can turn up in change, which is why 2018 is a date collectors look for. Expect a small premium, more for coins still in the original set.
What would make yours worth more:
- Full original red or bright color
- A coin from a sets-only year
- A recognized variety or genuine error
For market prices, look at recent sold results for the same coin in the same condition, not asking prices.
Quick answers
- Is the 2018 1p rare?
- It is scarcer than most 1p coins. It was never issued into circulation, so most examples are in collector packs.
- How many 2018 1p coins were made?
- None were made for circulation. The Mint sold this design only in packs and sets.
- What is the 2018 1p made of?
- Copper-plated steel. It weighs 3.56 g and measures 20.32 mm.
- Is the 2018 1p still legal tender?
- Yes. The 1p is legal tender, though 1p and 2p coins together only have to be accepted for payments up to 20p.
The 2018 1p coin in context
In 2018, for the first time since 1972, the Royal Mint made no pennies for circulation. Coins dated 2018 exist only in proof and uncirculated sets. Stocks of pennies were high and demand for new ones had dropped away. Many people take coppers home and leave them in jars rather than spend them. The spread of card payments also meant fewer coins changing hands at the till. Coins paid back into banks could simply be reissued to cover what demand remained.
The year also brought headlines about the penny's future. A Treasury consultation that spring asked whether Britain still needed the 1p and 2p. Newspapers ran stories saying the penny was about to be scrapped. The government later confirmed that both coins would stay. The total for 2018 pennies across the proof and uncirculated sets is 33,086, one of the smallest figures for any decimal penny. Pennies for change returned with the 2020 date. In the end the 2018 penny is remembered less for its numbers than for the year everyone wondered whether pennies had a future.
How to recognize it
There is nothing unusual about the design. It is Matthew Dent's section of the Royal Arms shield with ONE PENNY, paired with Jody Clark's portrait of the Queen wearing a diadem and the 2018 date. Clark's initials, JC, sit below the neck. The specifications are those of every steel penny: 20.32 mm, 3.56 g, copper-plated steel and a plain edge. What separates a 2018 penny is its finish. Uncirculated set coins have bright, even surfaces, while proofs have mirror fields and sharp detail. You won't find one with ordinary pocket wear unless someone broke open a set and spent it.
The other side carries Jody Clark's portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, introduced in 2015 and the last of her reign.
2018 1p by the numbers
No 2018 1p coins were struck for circulation; the published set figure is 33,086, so none were paid out by banks. For comparison, nearby circulation dates were 2015 1p (154.6 million), 2016 1p (368.5 million), 2017 1p (241 million), 2020 1p (88.1 million) and 2021 1p (56 million).
What to check on your 2018 1p
- Confirm the date. 2018 1p coins came only from collector sets, so a genuine one is often in very good condition.
- Try a magnet: 2018 1p coins are copper-plated steel and stick to it. A 2018 coin that does not stick is worth a closer look.
- Look at the surfaces under a light. Coins from sets have unbroken luster and color; change-worn coins are dull and scuffed.
- Never clean it. Rubbing or dipping strips the original color and leaves fine scratches.
A sets-only date with 33,086 made is a genuine scarcity for the penny. In practice most of those coins still sit in their original packaging, so they are easy to obtain as part of a set. A 2018 penny commands a collector premium over face value, mainly through complete sets. A loose example from change is an oddity rather than a jackpot, but if you see one, keep it. Proof examples should be stored in their capsules, since the mirror surfaces mark easily.
Royal Shield and Charles III pennies (2008 to 2023)
In 2008 the Royal Mint replaced every Ironside reverse from 1p to 50p with designs by Matthew Dent, who won a public competition for the job. Each coin carries one section of the shield from the Royal Arms. Lay the six coins together in the right order and the whole shield appears. The penny shows its part of the shield with ONE PENNY and no numeral. Portcullis pennies were also struck with the 2008 date, so that year exists with both reverses.
Ian Rank-Broadley's portrait stayed until 2015, when Jody Clark's became the fifth portrait of the Queen on British coins. The penny remained magnetic copper-plated steel, 20.32 mm and 3.56 g. Then demand slumped. Pennies dated 2018 and 2019 were made only for collector sets. Production for change came back from 2020 to 2022 at much lower levels. Then 2023 brought a new penny with Martin Jennings's portrait of King Charles III and a hazel dormouse.
Shield pennies are everywhere, yet this period holds the most interesting modern dates. The 2008 portcullis penny, the sets-only 2018 and 2019 coins and the 2023 dormouse are the ones to look for, with the lower output of 2015 and 2020 to 2022 adding a little interest. Fewer people pay with coins than in 2008, so small mintages now leave fewer coins in change. Check the date, the reverse and the portrait on any penny from 2008 onward before it goes back in your purse.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Country | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Denomination | 1 penny |
| Issuer | Royal Mint |
| Year | 2018 |
| Circulation mintage | None (collector issue) |
| Composition | Copper-plated steel |
| Weight | 3.56 g |
| Diameter | 20.32 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Plain |
| Portrait | Clark |
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I find a 2018 penny in change?
No pennies were struck for circulation in 2018. The only ones made went into proof and uncirculated sets, 33,086 in total. A 2018 penny in your change has almost always come out of a broken set and is worth keeping.
Were pennies scrapped in 2018?
No. A Treasury consultation that year asked whether the 1p and 2p were still needed and it caused plenty of headlines, but the government later confirmed the coins would stay. Pennies were struck for circulation again from 2020.
Mintage figures: Penny (British decimal coin) (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from Royal Mint figures. How we build these pages.