The UK (A) g _______ replaced its one pound notes with a coin back in the 1980's, but the circular one pound coin is pretty easy to copy. It is thought around 3 (1) p_______of the coins in circulation today are fake, and so action is being taken to stop that percentage getting any higher.
The solution? Replace the circular coin with a 12-sided (B) d_______that incorporates the anti-counterfeiting tech we already have embedded in notes.
The new coin, developed by The Royal Mint, isn't set to come into (C) c _______ until 2017, but when it does, it promises to be incredibly hard to copy, having multiple layers of cutting edge (2)
t_______ . It's even being touted as the most secure coin in the world.
As well as being constructed from two different metals, the coin will include ISIS – the Integrated Secure Identification (D) S_______. Specific details about exactly what iSIS is havent been forthcoming, but it is thought to offer a way of checking a coin is fake just like you can check a bank note is fake already. Such a test could be incorporated into vending (3) m_______or a counter top machine to use in retail stores and banks.
ISIS has cost ?2 million ($3.3 million) to develop, but its surely going to cost a lot more than that to (4) r_______a circular coin with a 12-sided one. Every machine that accepts today's pound coins will need to be upgraded, and that (5)
u _______ is probably going to cost more if it has the relevant iSIS test incorporated. Three years isnt exactly a long time to plan and carry out such upgrades, either, so I (E) s_______something may change before the new coin enters circulation.
(A, B, C, D, E FOR CROSS, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 FOR DOWN. The first letters of the absents were given)