Coins of the United Kingdom

Police have detained three suspects in the southern Turkish province of Adana during an operation against historic coin smugglers. However, the seized material, which included pound coins featuring the figure of Queen Victoria, turned out to be fake.

Queen Elizabeth II, the world's longest reigning sovereign, on Feb. 6 set a new record as the first British monarch to reach her sapphire jubilee, with 65 years on the throne.

The queen, now 90, rose to the throne in 1952 at the age of 25 upon the premature death of her father, King George VI.

A new 12-sided GBP 1 coin made with two separate metals will replace Britain's pound coin after 30 years of work, the Royal Mint announced Wednesday.

It resembles a "threepenny bit", a coin that circulated in Britain from 1937 to 1971.