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A - Level Revision

New Pound Coin Announced

The Royal Mint is set to introduce a new pound coin to combat fakes. But will there be problems?

There will be concern that vending machines will need to be adapted to take the new coins but is it really that simple?

Coins fall through the mechanism of a machine because they have a constant diameter. Most coins are circles because this is the simplest of these shapes but other shapes are possible like this...

The 20p and 50p coins are designed as 7-edged constant diameter shapes. Roll one between 2 rulers and there is no jerkiness. But only shapes with an odd number of edges can be shapes of constant diameter. Surely the new coin will get stuck in vending machines???

Nobody else seems to be concerned. Maybe I misunderstand how vending machines work. What do you think?

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