I'm unfamiliar enough with the contemporary UK to the extent I have to squint at the coins and notes as they keep changing the designs (latest wheeze: some 1 pence coins seem to resemble Euro copper coins), anyway I bought a bottle of cider in a supermarket and was bemused to have to show ID, especially as it's been more than a quarter century since I was using my mature looks to sneak into pubs while underage. Is this normal procedure these days?

Fortunately the only official-ish ID I had on me, my Japanese residence card, was acceptable.

Quote from: railsquid on December 19, 2015, 01:46:07 PM
I'm unfamiliar enough with the contemporary UK to the extent I have to squint at the coins and notes as they keep changing the designs (latest wheeze: some 1 pence coins seem to resemble Euro copper coins), anyway I bought a bottle of cider in a supermarket and was bemused to have to show ID, especially as it's been more than a quarter century since I was using my mature looks to sneak into pubs while underage. Is this normal procedure these days?

Fortunately the only official-ish ID I had on me, my Japanese residence card, was acceptable.

I just show my Senior Citizens bus pass!! 

I wish I was asked for my I.D., Squiddy :'(

If you think the coins are bad now, wait until the £1 coins are phased out and replaced with a dodecagonal version - all in the name of defeating the forgers, dontcha know.

Once in a well known national Supermarket, I approached the till with a bottle of something alcoholic...

"Sorry -I'll have to get the Supervisor" said the girl on the till.
"But I'm more than double 18..." I replied.
She responded "You might be over 18, but I'm not..." 

When I was about 11-12 my dad would send me out sometimes
to get him a few bottles of beer from a local licensed grocer .
When my mum was a little girl living near Halesworth in Suffolk her
father would give her a jug to take to the local pub and get it filled
with ale. Changed days.

That is something of a change! When I was last in the UK it was 9 years ago and I was a sneaky 15 looking to drink in the pubs. I got asked for ID ONE time and I said I didn't have it and gave the bartender a fake birthday. It was good enough for him and I drank there for 3 weeks after that! I'm obviously drinking age now and rarely get carded in the US. Strange to think of it being harder to buy a pint in England than in North Carolina!

Quote from: newportnobby on December 19, 2015, 01:55:07 PM
If you think the coins are bad now, wait until the £1 coins are phased out and replaced with a dodecagonal version - all in the name of defeating the forgers, dontcha know.

Why would anyone want to forge a £1.00 coin? Not worth a light now!

Quote from: colpatben on December 19, 2015, 04:15:14 PM
Why would anyone want to forge a £1.00 coin? Not worth a light now!

Simple - automatic dispensers ...  The T&W Metro had a hellova problem with fake coins at one point ...

Quote from: N-Gauge-US on December 19, 2015, 03:14:15 PM
Strange to think of it being harder to buy a pint in England than in North Carolina!

I think this is likely a one-off    Most places don't care ...

Quote from: newportnobby on December 19, 2015, 01:55:07 PM
I wish I was asked for my I.D., Squiddy :'(

I'm modest enough to admit I still get my age underestimated by a few years, but bemused how I could look anything close to the "if you look 25 or younger" or whatever wiggle room they give themselves. Must have been dazzled by my winning smile and youthful personality. 

Quote from: MikeDunn on December 19, 2015, 04:26:31 PM

Quote from: colpatben on December 19, 2015, 04:15:14 PM
Why would anyone want to forge a £1.00 coin? Not worth a light now!

Simple - automatic dispensers ...  The T&W Metro had a hellova problem with fake coins at one point ...

I used to visit Germany quite often (before the Euro ) and the 1DM coin was exactly the
same size as a 5p coin , and worth about 9-10 times as much. I was buying train  tickets
and U Bahn weekly travelpasses for pennies, happy days !

Quote from: colpatben on December 19, 2015, 04:15:14 PM

Quote from: newportnobby on December 19, 2015, 01:55:07 PM
If you think the coins are bad now, wait until the £1 coins are phased out and replaced with a dodecagonal version - all in the name of defeating the forgers, dontcha know.

Why would anyone want to forge a £1.00 coin? Not worth a light now!

According to the BBC news report (therefore it's gospel, right? ) 1 in 20 £1 coins in circulation are fakes.
Soz - completely 

In 1974 a petrol company or similar gave away promotional World Cup coins.

They worked a treat as a substitute for the old 5p piece in slot machines.

Best regards,


Joe

Quote
Why would anyone want to forge a £1.00 coin?

Maybe because the forging/printing* of high value stuff, the notes, is so much more difficult now, where the equipment can only be afforded by rich forgers and governments.
So the littler men have to 'make do' with the coins.

* When governments ( note I use the plural to avoid politics ! ) do it it is called "quantitative easing", when little people do it it is "forging", both  debase the currency , , go figure.

Sorry to continue the off-topicness, but this one is quite a big contribution to the fake coins:

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/counterfeiter-jailed-for-making-14-million-fake-1-coins-6623279.html

Back on-topic, a lot of places operate a 'no alcohol to under-25s' policy, and I find it much harder to estimate what someone looks like when they're 25

Quote from: newportnobby on December 19, 2015, 01:55:07 PM
I wish I was asked for my I.D., Squiddy :'(

If you think the coins are bad now, wait until the £1 coins are phased out and replaced with a dodecagonal version - all in the name of defeating the forgers, dontcha know.

Oh to be asked for id! But these days I'm swiping me."you're old now mate card" and I can live with it, thank you