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The British decimal twenty pence (20p) coin - often pronounced "twenty pee" - was issued on 9 June 1982 to fill the obvious gap between the ten pence and fifty pence coins. It rapidly gained acceptance: as of March 2008 there were an estimated 2.3 billion 20p coins in circulation. The coin is minted from a cupronickel alloy of 84% copper and 16% nickel (unlike the other 'silver' coins which are 75% copper, 25% nickel), weighs 5.00 grams and has a diameter of 21.4 millimetres. Measuring at the highest points (the egde) it is 1.7 mm thick. Like the fifty pence piece, the coin is not circular, but is seven-sided to aid identification. The sides are not straight but are curved so that the centre of curvature is the opposite apex of the coin - this is an equilateral curve (a curve of constant width) which allows the coin's diameter to be consistently measured in vending machines and slot machines. Three different obverses have been used so far: between 1982 and 1984 the head of Queen Elizabeth II by Arnold Machin; between 1985 and 1997 the head by Raphael Maklouf; and since 1998 the head by Ian Rank-Broadley. In all cases, the inscription is ELIZABETH II D.G.REG.F.D. As with all British coinage, the technical specifications are the same as those of coins issued by such territories as the Isle of Man, Guernsey, Jersey, Gibraltar etc. As a result coins from these territories can sometimes be found in UK circulation. |