Enigmatic Variations 1709 Roundabout by Chalicea

Eight clues with misprints give a clue to three inscriptions. Simple as that or is it?

Relatively simple on the EV difficulty curve. The clues yielded answers reasonably fast and the eight letters spelled out COIN RIMS

My first thoughts proved correct that it referred to three inscriptions on UK coins

From the circled square clockwise PLEIDIOL WYF I’M GWALD (Welsh for True am I to my country – old pound coins) and STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS (£2 coin) and the last to find in the grid NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSIT (Scottish old pound coin) starting from the 6th column 3rd row as an octagon.

Very neat and tidy as I would expect from Chalicea. Thanks

Key * anagram; rev. reverse; DD double definition; underline definition

Bold misprints illustrated in RED.

Across

8 Graves, essentially glum mostly and irksome (5)
8 Craves, essentially glum mostly and irksome (5)
lu (essentially glum) + st (mostly) + s (irksome) = LUSTS

10 Towards the end almost everybody’s on the side (7)
later (towards the end) + all (everybody) – l = LATERAL

13 Once briefly escorted cattle back (4)
Rev. neat (cattle) = TA’EN

14 Very short time with ill temper changing rapidly (6)
mo (very short time) + bile (ill temper) = MOBILE

15 Kick but initially only using sportsmanlike techniques (4)
15 Kick Out initially only using sportsmanlike techniques (4)
initially Oust Using Sportsmanlike Techniques = OUST

16 Decline intermittently demonstrated by wet bobs (3)
wEtBoBs (intermittently) = EBB

17 Pilgrim combining one-time principles of Hinduism, Anglicanism, Judaism and Islam (4)
Hinduism, Anglicanism, Judaism and Islam (one-time principles) = HAJI

18 Poorly mended hat for those sentenced to eternally suffer (9, two words)
(mended hat)* = THE DAMNED

20 Outlandish session including hesitative sound for people offering excuses for not appearing (9)
(session)* around er(hesitative sound) = ESSOINERS

22 At ninety degrees starts to experience abnormally scorching temperatures (4)
Experience Abnormally Scorching Temperatures (starts to) = EAST

24 Ponder on origin of the dramatic gap in thicket (5)
muse (ponder) + t (origin of the) = MUSET

25 Company absorbing information technology speedily (4)
co (company) around it (information technology) = CITO

27 Cultivate squads for minor-league sports clubs (9, two words)
farm (cultivate) + teams(squads) = FARM TEAMS

30 Direct reduction in fiscal liability cunningly extricated without effort primarily (9, two words)
(extricated – e)* = TAX CREDIT

32 Pressure the male with expression of impatience (4)
p(pressure) + he(the male) + w (with) = PHEW

34 Limitless harsh letters (3)
harsh – limits (h…h) = ARS

36 Children’s word game is insubstantial, lacking opening (4)
wispy(insubstantial) – w (opening) = I-SPY

37 Test old flat (6, two words)
o(old) + level(flat) = O’LEVEL

38 With needles and thread creates, we hear, what will be lace (4)
38 With needles and thread creates, we hear, what will be lIce (4)
Homophone of knits (creates with needles/thread) = NITS

39 Dubiously seeing last of larcenous daws (7)
39 Dubiously seeing last of larcenous dawN (7)
(seeing)* + s (last of larcenous) = GENESIS

40 Malaysian forest tribes‘ sloth following fermented rice drink mostly (5)
ai(sloth) after saki (rice drink) – i = SAKAI

Down

1 Not oddly let up on usage producing mnemonic of variable psalm tones (6)
lEt Up On UsAgE = EUOUAE

2 Broadcast at Istanbul showing one skilled in government (7)
Hidden broadcaST AT ISTanbul = STATIST

3 Some riff-raff in Edinburgh, all eight (4)
3 Some riff-raff in Edinburgh, all Right (4)
Hidden riff-rafF IN Edinburgh = FINE

4 Part of quadrangle beside church land (5)
Hidden quadranGLE BEside = GLEBE

5 One adult male bachelor’s foot (4)
i(one) + a(adult) + m(male) + b (bachelor) = IAMB

6 Celtic’s balls regularly found in underbush (4)
6 Celtic’s bIlls regularly found in underbush (4)
uNdErBuSh = NEBS

7 Frame of mind surrounding religious instruction’s description of Trinity (6)
tune(frame of mind) around ri (religious instruction) = TRIUNE

9 Upset, lacking sense of proportion, heartlessly ends in a skirmish (5)
SET-TO

11 Eucalyptus with strong timber, also a hollow root (6)
too(also) + a + rt (hollow root) = TOOART

12 Danger warning about second-class watch chain (6)
alert (danger warning) around b (second-class) = ALBERT

19 Insect repellent idea with no limits and European support finally (4)
iDEa (no limits) + e(european) + t (support finally) = DEET

21 By law liquor now and then available at last (4)
lIqUoR + e (available at last) = IURE

23 A baler broken down in land fit for farming (6)
(abaler)* = ARABLE

24 Mark areas adapted for tribal meeting places (6)
m(mark) + (areas)* = MARAES

25 Principal part of a column (7)
DD CAPITAL

26 Exert to the full former nurse (6)
ex (former) + tend (nurse) = EXTEND

28 Cases of endless mud in backward area reserved for building (5)
u (endless mud) in Rev. site (area) = ETUIS

29 Sporty activities turning up involving piano music and film separately recorded (6)
Rev. games (sporty activities) around p(piano) = SEPMAG

31 Trip destination needing no publicity (5)
31 TriM destination needing no publicity (5)
address(destination) – ad(no publicity) = DRESS

33 Nearly bard’s close of day (4)
DD EVEN

34 Untouchable in the past, losing head, settled (4)
dalit(untouchable) – d (losing head) = ALIT

35 Elevated college fellows met in order on lona (4)
35 Elevated college fellows Set in order on lona (4)
Rev. dons(college fellows) = SNOD