Bemusement was one of the principal reactions from people in the streets of York today to the latest addition to the growing collection of coins weighing down the shoppers' pocket.

But, overall, the smart new coin was met with guarded approval.

The coin features the queen's head on one side and on the other, a design which traces in concentric circles the progress of technology from the Iron Age to the Industrial Revolution to the Electronic Age and the Internet.

And to prove what a go-ahead city York really is, shoppers worried they face further inconvenience from stubborn parking machines need have no fear.

Dave Pearson, transport procurement officer for the City of York Council, said the machines have already been converted.

He said: "When the new 50p coin came in last year, we decided to take the advantage of doing it at the same time.

"This has been marked on to our new machines, but not all of them.

"We will probably put some notice up this week saying which coins they do take."

Madeline Sutton, 58, of Tadcaster Road, York, said she heard about the coin on the news today.

She said: "I think it is a good idea, I think it is lovely.

"It will be useful if people don't hoard them."

Steven Wood, 19, a student at York University said: "I seems all right, maybe it is a bit more cumbersome to use than the old ones.

"I work in a supermarket so I will be dealing with it quite a lot.

"I think older people will have a problem with it as they are still getting used to the new five pence coins."

Alexandra Wales, 18, from Selby added: "I'm not too sure.

"I like the coin, a lot of thought has gone into the design, but I think there are probably too many coins around."

Dave Gardner, 30, of Huntington Road, York said: "The only thing I feel is I just wish they would get rid of all the copper that we have to carry about.

"I think people are going to get a bit mixed up."

Mrs Betty Richardson, 62, of Walney Road, Heworth said: "This is to spend in shops?

"It is too nice to spend in shops, it is more of a collector's piece.

"One coin is better than two, I suppose. They should get rid of the five pence pieces because I'm sick of them."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.