In 2014 the Royal Mint launched a new series of coins with a theme of British Floral and released a special Limited Issue Piedfort Northern Ireland £1 One Pound Silver Proof Coin struck in solid .925 Sterling Silver Certified Slabbed and Graded by PCGS as PR69 DCAM and is the last in a series of 4 coins.
The £1 One Pound Coin designed by Timothy Noad depicts a Northern Ireland Flax Plant and Shamrock while the obverse features Ian Rank Broadley's portrait of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.
These legal tender coins have been struck to proof quality using specially prepared dies and highly polished blanks.
Piedforts are coins which have been specially struck on thicker than normal blanks.
As their name suggests they are closely associated with France, where from the twelfth century they were apparently issued by the Kings as presentation pieces.
In Britain the practice of striking piedforts is later and less frequent, but medieval and Tudor examples are known.