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The British decimal twenty pence (20p) coin – often pronounced ''twenty pee'' – is a unit of currency equaling twenty one-hundredths of a pound sterling. Like the 50p coin it is an equilateral curve heptagon. Its obverse has featured the profile of Queen Elizabeth II since the coin’s introduction in 1982.〔 Three different portraits of the Queen have been used, with the latest design by Ian Rank-Broadley being introduced in 1998. The second and current reverse, featuring a segment of the Royal Shield, was introduced in 2008.〔 Twenty and fifty pence coins are legal tender only up to the sum of £10; this means that it is permissible to refuse payment of sums greater than this amount in 20p coins in order to settle a debt.〔(Royal Mint Frequently Asked Questions )〕 As of March 2013 there were an estimated 2,704 million 20p coins in circulation with an estimated face value of £540.889 million.〔(Estimated Coins in Circulation ), Royal Mint〕 == Design == The original reverse of the coin, designed by William Gardner, and used from 1982 to 2008, is a crowned rose, with the numeral "20" below the rose, and TWENTY PENCE above the rose. To date, three different obverses have been used. For coins minted before 2008, the inscription is . Coins minted after 2008 have the year of minting on the obverse. As with all new decimal currency, until 1984 the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Arnold Machin appeared on the obverse, in which the Queen wears the 'Girls of Great Britain and Ireland' Tiara. Between 1985 and 1997 the portrait by Raphael Maklouf was used,〔 in which the Queen wears the George IV State Diadem. From 1998 to 2015 the portrait by Ian Rank-Broadley was used,〔 again featuring the tiara, with a signature-mark below the portrait. As of June 2015, coins bearing the portrait by Jody Clark have been seen in circulation. In August 2005 the Royal Mint launched a competition to find new reverse designs for all circulating coins apart from the £2 coin.〔("Royal Mint seeks new coin designs" ), BBC News, 17 August 2005〕 The winner, announced in April 2008, was Matthew Dent, whose designs were gradually introduced into the circulating British coinage from mid-2008.〔("Royal Mint unveils new UK coins" ), 2 April 2008〕 The designs for the 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p and 50p coins depict sections of the Royal Shield that form the whole shield when placed together. The shield in its entirety is featured on the £1 coin. The 20p coin depicts the meeting point of the second and fourth quarter of the shield, showing the Lion Rampant of Scotland and the Lions Passants of England. The date no longer appears on the reverse of the coin, and has instead been added to the obverse, where the lettering has been adjusted so as to fit the date in. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Twenty pence (British coin)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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