This article concerns British coinage, the coinage of the United Kingdom. A coin is usually a piece of hard material, generally metal and usually in the shape of a disc, which is issued by a government to be used as a form of money. ...

For related topics see:

• British banknotes
• Pound Sterling

British banknotes are the banknotes of the United Kingdom and British Islands, denominated in pounds sterling (GBP). ... UKP redirects here. ...

Current coinage

Obverse and reverse of common coins in current circulation, £2, £1, 50p, 20p, 10p, 5p, 2p and 1p

The British currency was decimalised on February 15, 1971. The basic unit of currency – the pound (or pound sterling) – was unaffected. Before decimalisation there were 240 (old) pennies in a pound, now there are 100 (new) pence. The new coins were marked with the wording NEW PENNY (singular) or NEW PENCE (plural) to distinguish them from the old. The word "new" was dropped after ten years. The symbol p was also adopted to distinguish the new pennies from the old, which used the symbol d. Download high resolution version (1800x5800, 960 KB)British monetary coins, front and back, £2, £1, 50p, 20p, 10p, 5p, 2p and 1p. ... Download high resolution version (1800x5800, 960 KB)British monetary coins, front and back, £2, £1, 50p, 20p, 10p, 5p, 2p and 1p. ... On February 15, 1971, variously known as Decimal Day, Decimalisation Day and D-Day, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland decimalised their historical currencies. ... February 15 is the 46th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1971 calendar). ... UKP redirects here. ...

Every year, newly minted coins are checked for size, weight, and composition at a Trial of the Pyx. Essentially the same procedure has been used since the thirteenth century. Assaying is now done by the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths on behalf of HM Treasury. The Trial of the Pyx is the procedure in the United Kingdom for ensuring that newly-minted coins conform to required standards. ... The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. ... The new eastern entrance to HM Treasury HM Treasury (Her/His Majestys Treasury) is the United Kingdom government department responsible for and putting into effect the UK Governments financial and economic policy. ...

The total amount of coinage in circulation is roughly three and a quarter billion pounds, of which the £1 and £2 coins account for almost two billion pounds [1].

Obverse Of Modern Coins

All modern coins feature a profile of the current monarch's head. The direction in which they face changes with each successive monarch. There was a small quirk in this alternating pattern when Edward VIII ascended to the throne. George V coin's had him facing the left, as did Edward VIII, his succesor. This was because Edward thought that to be his best side, breaking with tradition (many saw this as portent of a bad reign). However, none of these coins were put into general circulation before Edward abdicated. When George VI came to the throne, he had his coins struck with him facing the left, as if Edward's coins had faced the right (as they should have done in theory). This means that in a timeline of coins used in Britain, George V and VI's coins face to the left, despite the fact they follow directly chronologically. All current coins include the Latin inscription ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA FIDEI DEFENSOR in abbreviated form, which translates as "Elizabeth II, by the grace of God, Queen and Defender of the Faith", with Elizabeth II facing to the right. Look up monarch in Wiktionary, the free dictionary A monarch (see sovereign) is a type of ruler or head of state. ... King Edward VIII King of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, King of Ireland Emperor of India His Majesty King Edward VIII, (Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David), later His Royal Highness The Duke of Windsor (23 June 1894 – 28 May 1972) was the second British monarch of the House... King George V King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Emperor of India His Majesty King George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert) (3 June 1865–20 January 1936) was the last British monarch of the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, changing the name to the House... George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George) (December 14, 1895 - February 6, 1952) was the third British monarch of the House of Windsor, reigning from December 11, 1936 to February 6, 1952. ... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor), born 21 April 1926, is Queen of sixteen independent nations known as the Commonwealth Realms (and has previously been Queen of sixteen others). ... Michelangelos depiction of God in the painting Creation of the Sun and Moon in the Sistine Chapel This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and derived henotheistic forms. ... Defenders of the Faith. ...

Values and dates

• Half Penny (£0.005) 1971–1984, demonetised since then.
• One Penny (£0.01), 1971–
• Two Pence (£0.02), 1971–
• Five Pence (£0.05), 1968–1990 and 1990–
• Ten Pence (£0.10), 1968–1992 and 1992–
• Twenty Pence (£0.20), 1982–
• Twenty-Five Pence (£0.25), 1972–1981 (special issues, not in common circulation)
• Fifty Pence (£0.50), 1969–1997 and 1997–
• One Pound (£1.00), 1983–
• Two Pounds (£2.00), 1986–1997 (special issues) 1997– (first general issue)
• Five Pounds (£5.00), 1990– (special issues, not in common circulation)

A Quarter Penny coin, to be struck in aluminium, was proposed at the time decimalisation was being planned, but ended up never being minted. Half new penny, 1982 The British decimal Half Penny (½p) or Hapenny (pronounced HAY-pnee) coin was first issued on 15 February 1971, the day the British currency was decimalised. ... 1980 coin featuring portrait by Arnold Machin 1993 coin featuring portrait by Raphael Maklouf 2000 coin featuring portrait by Ian Rank-Broadley The British decimal Penny (1p) coin, produced by the Royal Mint, was issued on 15 February 1971, the day the British currency was decimalised. ... This article discusses the British decimal two pence coin, issued from 1971, only. ... The British decimal Five Pence (5p) coin was issued in 1968 in preparation for the forthcoming decimalisation of the coinage. ... The British decimal Ten Pence (10p) coin was issued in 1968 in preparation for the forthcoming decimalisation of the coinage. ... The British decimal Twenty Pence (20p) coin was issued in June 1982 to fill in the obvious gap between the Ten Pence and Fifty Pence coins; it rapidly gained acceptance and very large numbers now circulate [1]. The coin is minted from an alloy of 84% copper and 16% nickel... The commemorative British decimal Twenty-Five Pence (25p) coin was issued in four designs between 1972 and 1981. ... The British decimal fifty pence (50p) coin was issued on October 14, 1969 in the run-up to decimalisation to replace the ten shilling note. ... This article discusses the British One Pound circulating coin issued since 1983, only. ... This article discusses the the commemorative British Two Pounds coins issued issued between 1986 and 1996, and the regular bimetallic circulation coins first issued in 1998 (dated 1997). ... This article discusses the commemorative British Five Pounds crown-sized coin issued since 1990, only. ...

The Half Penny coin was demonetized in 1984. Half new penny, 1982 The British decimal Half Penny (½p) or Hapenny (pronounced HAY-pnee) coin was first issued on 15 February 1971, the day the British currency was decimalised. ... 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The standard One Penny and Two Pence coins originate in 1971 and are the oldest standard issue coins still in circulation. 1980 coin featuring portrait by Arnold Machin 1993 coin featuring portrait by Raphael Maklouf 2000 coin featuring portrait by Ian Rank-Broadley The British decimal Penny (1p) coin, produced by the Royal Mint, was issued on 15 February 1971, the day the British currency was decimalised. ... This article discusses the British decimal two pence coin, issued from 1971, only. ...

In the 1990s the Royal Mint reduced the sizes of the Five Pence, Ten Pence and Fifty Pence coins. As a consequence, the oldest 5p coins in circulation date from 1990, the oldest 10p coins from 1992 and the oldest 50p coins come from 1997. Since 1997, many special commemorative designs of 50p have been issued. Some of these are to be found in circulation and some are not. They are all legal tender. The British decimal Five Pence (5p) coin was issued in 1968 in preparation for the forthcoming decimalisation of the coinage. ... The British decimal Ten Pence (10p) coin was issued in 1968 in preparation for the forthcoming decimalisation of the coinage. ... The British decimal fifty pence (50p) coin was issued on October 14, 1969 in the run-up to decimalisation to replace the ten shilling note. ... This article is about the year. ... 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII in Roman) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... See: Commemorative coin United States Commemorative Coin Commemorative stamp This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

The Twenty Pence coin was introduced in 1982 to fill the obvious gap between the 10p and 50p coins. The British decimal Twenty Pence (20p) coin was issued in June 1982 to fill in the obvious gap between the Ten Pence and Fifty Pence coins; it rapidly gained acceptance and very large numbers now circulate [1]. The coin is minted from an alloy of 84% copper and 16% nickel...

The first pound coin was introduced in 1983 to replace the Bank of England £1 banknote which was discontinued in 1984 (although the Scottish banks continued producing them for some time afterwards; the last of them, the Royal Bank of Scotland £1 note, remained in production until 2003). The designs on the one pound coin change often in a largely five-year cycle. This article discusses the British One Pound circulating coin issued since 1983, only. ... 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom, sometimes known as The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street or The Old Lady. The nearest London Underground station is Bank station. ... A £20 Ulster Bank banknote. ... 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

A circulating bimetallic £2 coin was also introduced in 1998 (first minted in, and dated, 1997). There had previously been unimetallic commemorative £2 coins which did not normally circulate. This tendency to use the two pound coin for commemorative issues has continued since the introduction of the bimetallic coin, and a few of the older unimetallic coins have since entered circulation. thermocouple and Peltier_Seebeck effect. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... A mint is a facility which manufactures coins for currency. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII in Roman) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

There are also commemorative issues of Crowns. Before 1990 they were rated as 25p pieces, equivalent to the five shilling crown used in pre-decimal Britain. However, in 1990 crowns with a face value of Five Pounds started to be issued as the previous value was considered not important enough for such a high-status coin. The size and weight of the coin remained exactly the same. No decimal crowns of either value are to be found in circulation and the legal status of the 25p crowns is unclear.

Several of these coins have changed in size and design since first introduction. For more details, see the individual pages for each coin.

1980 coin featuring portrait by Arnold Machin 1993 coin featuring portrait by Raphael Maklouf 2000 coin featuring portrait by Ian Rank-Broadley The British decimal Penny (1p) coin, produced by the Royal Mint, was issued on 15 February 1971, the day the British currency was decimalised. ... This article discusses the British decimal two pence coin, issued from 1971, only. ... The British decimal Five Pence (5p) coin was issued in 1968 in preparation for the forthcoming decimalisation of the coinage. ... The British decimal Ten Pence (10p) coin was issued in 1968 in preparation for the forthcoming decimalisation of the coinage. ... The British decimal Twenty Pence (20p) coin was issued in June 1982 to fill in the obvious gap between the Ten Pence and Fifty Pence coins; it rapidly gained acceptance and very large numbers now circulate [1]. The coin is minted from an alloy of 84% copper and 16% nickel... The British decimal fifty pence (50p) coin was issued on October 14, 1969 in the run-up to decimalisation to replace the ten shilling note. ... This article discusses the British One Pound circulating coin issued since 1983, only. ... This article discusses the the commemorative British Two Pounds coins issued issued between 1986 and 1996, and the regular bimetallic circulation coins first issued in 1998 (dated 1997). ... Half new penny, 1982 The British decimal Half Penny (½p) or Hapenny (pronounced HAY-pnee) coin was first issued on 15 February 1971, the day the British currency was decimalised. ... The commemorative British decimal Twenty-Five Pence (25p) coin was issued in four designs between 1972 and 1981. ... This article discusses the commemorative British Five Pounds crown-sized coin issued since 1990, only. ...

Specifications

Images

Depiction of British coinage | Reverse side

£ 0.01	£ 0.02	£ 0.05
Portcullis	Prince of Wales feathers	Crowned thistle
£ 0.10	£ 0.20	£ 0.50
Crowned Lion	Crowned Tudor Rose	Britannia and Lion
£ 1.00	£ 2.00	£ 2.00 edge
		The edge lettering features the quote "Standing on the Shoulders of Giants" by Sir Isaac Newton Image File history File links Pennyreverse. ... Image File history File links 2pennyreverse. ... Five Pence File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... A portcullis in Edinburgh Castle A portcullis is a grille or gate made of wood, metal or a combination of the two. ... The Prince of Wales Feathers. This Heraldic badge of the Heir Apparent is derived from the ostrich feathers borne by Edward, the Black Prince. ... Species See text Thistles are perennial flowering plants of the genus Cirsium. ... Download high resolution version (661x661, 65 KB)Front of UK 10p coin File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... UK 20 pence coin reverse File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links 50p_reverse. ... Binomial name Panthera leo (Linnaeus, 1758) Comparative view of the human and lion frames, c1860. ... When Henry Tudor took the crown of England from Richard III in battle, he brought about the end of the Wars of the Roses between the House of Lancaster (Red Rose) and the House of York (White Rose). ... Britannia, the British national personification. ... Image File history File links NewPoundCoin. ... UK £2 coin, 200 (normal non-commemorative reverse) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Sir Isaac Newton in Knellers portrait of 1689. ...
Royal Coat of Arms*	Design representing technological development

New Designs

In August 2005, the Royal Mint launched a competition to find new designs for 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p and 50p coins. The competition closed on 14 November 2005. New designs will be subjected to public consultation before their introduction, and the successful designers will receive £5,000 in prize money.

The competition to find new UK coin designs has fueled speculation that the UK will not be joining the Euro anytime soon. The euro (symbol: €; banking code: EUR) is the single currency of the following twelve European Union member states: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain; collectively also known as the eurozone. ...

Other British Coins

Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories

The Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories of the United Kingdom, although using the Pound, are responsible for their own economies, and thus mint their own coinage. These are in the same denominations as those of the UK, but with their own designs. Crown dependencies are possessions of the British Crown, as opposed to overseas territories or colonies. ... A United Kingdom overseas territory (formerly known as a dependent territory or earlier as a crown colony) is a territory that is under the sovereignty and formal control of the United Kingdom but is not part of the United Kingdom proper (almost exclusively Great Britain and Northern Ireland). ...

Coins from British dependencies are sometimes found in change in other jurisdictions, but are not legal tender in the United Kingdom and tend not to be accepted by UK traders and banks. Since they have the same specifications as UK coins, they are sometimes tolerated in commerce, and can readily be used in vending machines.

The British overseas territory of St Helena and Ascension have their own currency, the Saint Helenian pound, which is linked to the Pound Sterling. ...

Maundy Money

There are Maundy coins in denominations of one, two, three and four pence. They bear dates from 1822 to the present and are minted in very small quantities. Though they are legal tender in the UK, they are never encountered in circulation. The pre-decimal Maundy pieces have the same legal tender status and value as post-decimal ones, and were effectively increased in face value by 140% upon decimalization. Their numismatic value is, of course, much greater. Maundy Money is a special British coinage given to deserving poor people in a religious ceremony performed by Anglicans on Maundy Thursday, the Thursday before Easter. ...

Bullion coinage

The traditional bullion coin issued by Britain is the gold sovereign, formerly a circulating coin, with a face value of one pound. Three Gold Sovereigns with a Krugerrand A Gold Sovereign is a British gold coin, first issued in 1489 for Henry VII, generally with a value of one pound sterling. ...

Since 1987 a series of bullion coins, the Britannia, has been issued, containing one troy ounce, half ounce, quarter ounce, and one-tenth ounce of fine gold at a millesimal fineness of 917 (22 carat) and with face values of £100, £50, £25, and £10. Britannia Gold Bullion coin, 1988 The Britannia is a British gold bullion coin issued since 1987, weighing one troy ounce and with a face value of 100 Pounds. ... Millesimal fineness is a system of denoting the purity of platinum, gold and silver alloys by parts per thousand of pure metal in the alloy. ...

Since 1997 silver bullion coins have also been produced under the name “Britannias”. The alloy used is Britannia silver (millesimal fineness 958). The silver coins are available in 1 ounce, ¹⁄₂ ounce, ¹⁄₄ ounce, and ¹⁄₁₀ ounce sizes. Britannia silver is an alloy of silver containing 95. ...

Pre-decimal system

Pre-decimalisation, the pound was divided into 240 pennies (or pence) rather than 100, though it was rarely expressed in this way. Rather it was expressed in terms of pounds, shillings and pence, where:
The shilling (or informally: bob) was an English coin first issued in 1548 for Henry VIII, although arguably the testoon issued about 1487 for Henry VII was the first English shilling. ... Above: A variety of coins considered to be lower-value, including an Irish 2p piece and many US pennies. ...

• £1 = 20 shillings (20s).
  
• 1 shilling = 12 pence (12d).
  

Thus: £1 = 240 pence. The penny was further subdivided at various times, though these divisions vanished as inflation made them irrelevant:

• 1 penny = 2 halfpennies and (earlier) 4 farthings (half-farthing, third-farthing, and quarter-farthing coins were actually minted in the late 1800s, but circulated only in certain British colonies and not in the UK itself).

Using the example of five shillings and sixpence, the standard ways of writing shillings and pence were: Events and Trends Beginning of the Napoleonic Wars (1803 - 1815). ...

• 5s 6d
• 5/6 (see below for the / mark)
• 5/- for 5 shillings only, with the dash to stand for zero pennies.

This sum would be spoken as "five shillings and sixpence" or "five and six".

The symbol, £, for the pound is derived from the first letter of the Latin word for pound, the librum. This symbol is found in the Unicode table as (U+00A3) (which renders as £), and differs from that allocated to the Turkish and former Italian unit, the lira, which derives from the same source word. That symbol is usually two-barred, and is found at (U+20A4) (₤). Whilst the British pound symbol may occasionally be found written with two bars, many people follow the convention used on Bank of England banknotes which is to use just one bar; the same is generally used for type faces. Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... Technical note: Due to technical limitations, some web browsers may not display some special characters in this article. ... British banknotes are the banknotes of the United Kingdom and British Islands, denominated in pounds sterling (GBP). ...

The old abbreviation for the penny, d, was derived from the Roman denarius, and the abbreviation for the shilling, s, from the Roman solidus. The shilling was also denoted by the slash symbol, also called a solidus for this reason. The English penny was derived from a silver coin (the sceat of 20 grains weight) which was in general circulation in Europe during the middle ages. The weight of this coin was originally 20 grains but had reached 24 grains by the time of King Alfred (A.D. 871–899) or ¹⁄₂₄₀ of a troy pound, a weight known as a pennyweight—around 1.555 grams. First row : c. ... A solidus (the Latin word for solid) was originally a gold coin issued by the Romans. ... A solidus, oblique or slash, /, is a punctuation mark. ... General Name, Symbol, Number silver, Ag, 47 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11, 5, d Appearance lustrous white metal Atomic mass 107. ... World map showing Europe Europe is conventionally considered one of the seven continents of Earth which, in this case, is more a cultural and political distinction than a physiogeographic one. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... A pennyweight (symbol dwt) is an obsolete unit of mass which is the same as 24 grains, 1/240th of a troy pound, 1/20th of a troy ounce, or approximately 1. ...

The pre-decimalisation coins with exact decimal equivalent values continued in use after 1971 alongside the new coins, albeit with new names, (e.g., the Shilling became the 5p coin, and the Florin equating to 10p). The others were withdrawn almost immediately but most of those that did have precise equivalents in the new system remained legal tender until they were replaced by smaller coins in the early 1990s. Pre-decimalisation shillings were used as 5p coins, with many people calling the new 5p coin a shilling, since it remained 1/20 of a pound, but was now worth 5p instead of 12d. The pre-decimalisation sixpence, also known as a sixpenny bit or sixpenny piece, was rated at 2½p but was demonetised in 1980. 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1971 calendar). ... The shilling (or informally: bob) was an English coin first issued in 1548 for Henry VIII, although arguably the testoon issued about 1487 for Henry VII was the first English shilling. ... Florin may be any of these modern coins: Netherlands Antilles florin. ... Legal tender or forced tender is payment that cannot be refused in settlement of a debt denominated in the same currency by virtue of law. ...

A similar pre-decimal system operated in France, also based on the Roman currency, consisting of the livre (L) sol (s) and denier (d). A denarius by Maximinus. ... The livre tournois (or Tournoise pound) was a currency used in France, named after the town of Tours, in which it was minted. ...

Slang

Some pre-decimalisation coins or denominations became commonly known by slang terms, perhaps the most well known being bob for a shilling, and quid for a pound. A farthing was a mag, a silver threepence was a joey and the later cupro-nickel threepence was called a threepenny bit (pronounced threp'ny bit), a sixpence was a tanner and a half crown was a half dollar. Quid remains as popular slang for one or more pounds to this day in Britain in the form "a quid" and then "two quid" etc. thereafter. BOB may stand for: Back of the book (as in the software BOB Advanced which refers to cheating in math using the answers at the end of the book) BOB Advanced Website (math equation solver) Back of the book (philately) Back of the book (publishing) Band of Brothers BOB, a... Quid has several meanings: A small, circular item similar to a dollar; for example, sand dollars Slang (British) for one Pound Sterling (£). The Irish pound was also referred to by this name. ... The threepence or thruppence, was a denomination of currency, used by various jurisdictions in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, until decimalisation of the pound sterling and Irish pound. ... Tanner might refer to Väinö Tanner, renowned Finnish politician the profession of tanning This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... This page is about the dollar currency. ...

Silver content

From the time of Charlemagne until the 12th century, the silver currency of England was made from the highest purity silver available. Unfortunately there were drawbacks to minting currency of Fine Silver, notably the level of wear it suffered, and the ease with which coins could be "clipped", or trimmed by those dealing in the currency. Coins showing milled (left) and engraved (right) edges, anti-clipping measures Coin clipping is the act of shaving off a small portion of the precious metal for profit. ...

In the 12th century a new standard for English coinage was established by Henry II, the Sterling Silver standard of metal—92.5% silver and 7.5% copper used in coinage. This was a harder wearing alloy, yet it was still a rather high grade of silver. It went some way to discouraging the practice of "clipping", though this practice was further discouraged and largely eliminated with the introduction of the milled edge we see on coins today. Henry II (5 March 1133 – 6 July 1189) ruled as Count of Anjou, Duke of Normandy, and as King of England (1154–1189) and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland, eastern Ireland, and western France. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ...

In 1920, the silver content of all British coins was reduced from 92.5% to 50%, with a portion of the remainder consisting of manganese, which caused the coins to tarnish to a very dark colour after they had been in circulation for a significant period. Silver was eliminated altogether in 1947, except for Maundy coinage, which returned to the pre-1920 92.5 percent silver composition. 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar) // Events January January 7 - Forces of Russian White admiral Kolchak surrender in Krasnoyarsk. ... General Name, Symbol, Number manganese, Mn, 25 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 7, 4, d Appearance silvery metallic Atomic mass 54. ... 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 calendar). ... 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar) // Events January January 7 - Forces of Russian White admiral Kolchak surrender in Krasnoyarsk. ...

History of the penny

Main article: History of the English penny.

The penny was originally one '"pennyweight"' of silver. A pennyweight is a unit of mass which is the same as 1.555 grams, or ¹⁄₂₄₀ of a troy pound. So, a penny was literally, as well as monetarily, ¹⁄₂₄₀ of a troy pound of sterling silver. The weight of this coin was instituted by Charlemagne, and the purity of 92.5% silver (i.e., sterling silver) was instituted by Henry II in 1158 with the "Tealby Penny"—a hammered coin. At this time the standard unit of currency in England was the penny. For silver pennies produced after 1820 see Maundy money The silver penny was introduced to England around the year 785 by King Offa of Mercia, in the English midlands. ... A pennyweight (symbol dwt) is an obsolete unit of mass which is the same as 24 grains, 1/240th of a troy pound, 1/20th of a troy ounce, or approximately 1. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... Charlemagne (742 or 747 – 28 January 814) (also Charles the Great; from Latin, Carolus Magnus or Karolus Magnus), son of King Pippin the Short and Bertrada of Laon, was the king of the Franks from 768 to 814 and king of the Lombards from 774 to 814. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... Henry II (5 March 1133 – 6 July 1189) ruled as Count of Anjou, Duke of Normandy, and as King of England (1154–1189) and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland, eastern Ireland, and western France. ... Events January 11 - Vladislav II becomes King of Bohemia End of the formal reign of Emperor Go-Shirakawa of Japan, also the beginning of his cloistered rule, which will last to his death in 1192. ... Hammered coinage describes the commonest form of coins produced since the invention of coins in the first millennium BC until the early modern period of ca. ...

The mediæval penny would have been the equivalent of around 1s 6d in value in 1915. British government sources suggest that prices have risen over 61-fold since 1914, so a mediaeval sterling silver penny might have the equivalent purchasing power of around £4.50 today, and a farthing (a quarter penny) would have the value of slightly more than today's pound.

Denominations of pre-decimal coins and their years of production

The value of some coins fluctuated, particularly in the reigns of James I and Charles I. The value of a Guinea fluctuated between 20 and 30 shillings before being fixed at 21 shillings in December 1717.

These are denominations of British, or earlier English, coins—Scottish coins had different values.

• Five Guineas (originally 100/- [£5], later 105/- [£5.25]) 1668–1753.
• Five Pounds (100/- [£5]) (Gold) 1826–1990.
• Triple Unite (60/- [£3]) 1642–1644.
• Fifty Shillings (50/- [£2.5]) 1656.
• Two Guineas (42/- [£2.1]) 1664–1753.
• Two Pounds (40/- [£2]) 1823–1937.
• Rose Ryal (30/- [£1.5]) 1604–1625.
• Guinea (21/- [£1.05]) 1663–1799, 1813
• Broad (20/- [£1]) 1656.
• Sovereign (20/- [£1]) 1489–1604; 1817–1914, since 1914 a bullion coin.
• Laurel (20/- [£1]) 1619–1644?
• Unite (20/- [£1]) 1604–1619; 1649–1662.
• Spur Ryal (15/- [£0.75]) 1604–1625.
• Half Guinea (10/6 [£0.525]) 1669–1813.
• Half Sovereign (10/- [£0.5]) 1544–1553; 1603–1604; 1817–1937, since 1980 a bullion coin.
• Double Crown (10/- [£0.5]) 1604–1619; 1625–1662.
• Halfpound (10/- [£0.5]) 1559–1602; 1642–1644
• Half Unite (10/- [£0.5]) 1642–1643.
• Half Laurel (10/- [£0.5]) 1619–1625.
• Rose Noble or Ryal (10/- [£0.5], 15/- [£0.75] from 1553) 1464–1470, 1487, 1553–1603.
• Third Guinea (7/- [£0.35]) 1797–1813.
• Noble (6/8 [£0.3333], raised to 8/4 [£0.4167] in 1464) 1344–1464.
• Angel (6/8 [£0.3333]) 1461–1643.
• Florin or Double Leopard (6/- [£0.3]) 1344. Demonetised within 1 year.
• Quarter Guinea (5/3 [£0.2625]) 1718, 1762.
• Crown (5/- [£0.25]) 1526–1965
• Crown of the Rose (4/6 [£0.225]) 1526–1547.
• Double Florin (4/- [£0.2]), 1887–1890.
• Half Noble (3/4 [£0.1667], increased to 4/2 [£0.2083] in 1464); minted 1346–1438.
• Half Angel (3/4 [£0.1667], later 5/6 [£0.275]), 1470–1619.
• Half Florin or Leopard (3/- [£0.15]) 1344. Extremely rare.
• Half Crown (2/6 [£0.125]), 1526–1969.
• Quarter Angel (2/- [£0.1]), 1547–1600. Gold.
• Florin (2/- [£0.1]), 1848–1970, circulated until 1993 as the old Ten Pence coin.
• Twenty Pence (1/8 [£0.0833] - 2/- [£0.1]) 1257–1265. Gold. Undervalued for its metal content and extremely rare!
• Quarter Noble (1/8 [£0.0833]), 1344–1470.
• Quarter Florin or Helm (1/6 [£0.075]), 1344. Gold coin demonetised within 1 year.
• Shilling (1/- [£0.05]), 1502–1970, circulated until 1990 as the old Five Pence coin.
• Sixpence (6d [£0.025]), 1547–1970
• Groat (4d [£0.0167]) silver 1279–1662, 1836–1862 (and thereafter only for Maundy)
• Threepence (3d [£0.0125]), silver 1547–1945 (and thereafter only for Maundy), nickel-brass 1937–1970
• Half Groat (2d [£0.0083]), 1351–1662
• Twopence (2d [£0.0083]), silver (inc. Maundy) 1668–current; copper 1797–1798.
• Three Halfpence (1½d [£0.0063]), 1561–1582, 1834–1870 *
• Penny (1d [£0.0042]), 757–1970
• Three Farthings (0.75d [£0.0031]), 1561–1582.
• Halfpenny (0.5d [£0.0021]), 1272–1969
• Farthing (0.25d [£0.0010]), c. 1200–1960
• Half Farthing (0.125d [£0.0005]), 1828–1868 *
• Third Farthing (0.08333d [£0.0003]) 1827–1913 *
• Quarter Farthing (0.0625d [£0.0002]), 1839–1868 *

Note: * = denomination issued for use in the colonies, usually in Ceylon, Malta, or the West Indies, but normally counted as part of the British coinage. James VI of Scotland and James I of England and Ireland (Charles James) (June 19, 1566–March 27, 1625) was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland. ... Charles I (19 November 1600 – 30 January 1649) was King of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. ... The British Five Guinea coin was a machine-struck currency produced from 1668–1753. ... This article discusses the gold British Five Pounds coin issued periodically between 1826 and 1990, only. ... The Triple Unite, valued at sixty shillings, 60/- or three pounds, was the highest British denomination to be produced in the era of the hammered coinage. ... A British Fifty Shillings (50/-) coin has only ever been minted once, in the year 1656. ... What is nowadays known as the British Two Guineas coin was first minted in 1664, when it had a nominal value of forty shillings and it was known as a forty-shilling piece, then it was later called a double-guinea or two guinea piece, worth forty-two shillings after... For Two Pound coins after 1983, see here. ... The Rose Ryal was a very rare English gold coin issued in the reign of King James I. The coin is really a two-ryal coin worth thirty shillings and is a development of the earlier fine sovereign of Queen Elizabeth I. The Rose Ryal, so called because the rose... The Broad was a British coin worth 20 shillings (20/_) issued by the Commonwealth of England in 1656. ... Three Gold Sovereigns with a Krugerrand A Gold Sovereign is a British gold coin, first issued in 1489 for Henry VII, generally with a value of one pound sterling. ... The Laurel was the third British gold coin with a value of twenty shillings or one pound produced during the reign of King James I. It was named after the laurel that the king is portrayed as wearing on his head, but it is considerably poorer in both quality and... The Unite was the second British gold coin with a value of twenty shillings or one pound produced during the reign of King James I. It was named after the legends on the coin indicating the kings intention of uniting his two kingdoms of England and Scotland. ... The Spur Ryal was an extremely rare English gold coin issued in the reign of King James I. The coin is a development of the earlier Rose Noble, or Ryal which was worth ten shillings when issued by Kings Edward IV and Henry VII, and fifteen shillings when issued by... The British Half Guinea gold coin was first produced in 1669, some years after the Guinea entered circulation. ... The half sovereign was first introduced in 1544 under Henry VIII. It was a gold coin valued at ten shillings. ... The Half Laurel was the third British gold coin with a value of ten shillings produced during the reign of King James I. It was named after the laurel that the king is portrayed as wearing on his head, but it is considerably poorer in both quality and style than... The British Third Guinea coin is unique among the British gold coinage in having been produced exclusively in the reign of one monarch, in this case King George III. When it was introduced in 1797 the financial situation at the Bank of England was very precarious -- gold was in short... The Noble was the first English gold coin produced in quantity, having been preceded by the Twenty pence coin and the Florin earlier in the reigns of King Henry III and King Edward III, which saw little circulation. ... The Florin or Double Leopard was an attempt by English king Edward III to produce a gold coinage suitable for use in Europe as well as in England (see also Half Florin or Leopard and Quarter Florin or Helm). ... At the beginning of the reign of King George I (1714_1727) the price of silver had risen considerably, resulting in much of the British silver coinage being melted down and few silver coins were being struck. ... Crown reverse, 1953 and 1960. ... The Double Florin (4/-) was one of the shortest-lived British coin denominations ever, only being produced between 1887 and 1890. ... The Half Florin or Leopard was an attempt by English king Edward III to produce a gold coinage suitable for use in Europe as well as in England (see also Florin or Double Leopard and Quarter Florin or Helm). ... Half-Crown coin of Oliver Cromwell, 1658 The half-crown was a denomination of British money worth two shillings and sixpence, being one-eighth of a pound. ... The nineteenth and twentieth century Florin or Two Shillings coin should not be confused with the medieval gold Florin, which was worth six shillings. ... Until the reign of King Henry III (1216-1272), any need in England for coins worth more than one penny was met, at least partially, by the use of Byzantine or Arabic gold and silver coins which circulated among merchants and traders. ... The Quarter Florin or Helm was an attempt by English king Edward III to produce a gold coinage suitable for use in Europe as well as in England (see also Florin or Double Leopard and Half Florin or Leopard). ... The shilling was a British coin first issued in 1548 for Henry VIII, although arguably the testoon issued about 1487 for Henry VII was the first shilling. ... A sixpence was a British pre-decimal coin, worth, as the name suggest, 6 pennies. ... See also groats. ... The threepence or thruppence, was a denomination of currency, used by various jurisdictions in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, until decimalisation of the pound sterling and Irish pound. ... The silver Three Halfpence (1½d) coin was introduced in Queen Ceylon and the West Indies in each year between 1834 and 1843, and also in 1860 and 1862 (and proof coins were also produced in 1870). ... For silver pennies produced after 1820 see Maundy money The silver penny was introduced to England around the year 785 by King Offa of Mercia, in the English midlands. ... The silver Three Farthings (¾d) coin was introduced in Queen Elizabeth Is third and fourth coinages (1561-1582) as part of a plan to produce large quantities of coins of varying denominations and high metal content. ... This article discusses the history of the English and British Halfpenny coin, from the 12th century onwards. ... A farthing (meaning fourth part) was a British coin worth one quarter of a penny. ... Victoria half farthing 1844 The half farthing British coin (1/8th of a penny, 1/1920th of a pound) was produced in various years between 1828 and 1856 (although proof coins were anomalously produced in 1868). ... The third farthing British coin (1/12th of a penny, 1/2880th of a pound) was produced in various years between 1827 and 1913. ... The quarter farthing British coin (1/16th of a penny, 1/3840th of a pound) was produced for circulation in Ceylon in various years between 1839 and 1853 (although proof coins were anomalously produced in 1868). ... The Caribbean or the West Indies is a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea. ...

The mediaeval florin, half florin, and quarter florin were gold coins intended to circulate in Europe as well as in England and were valued as much more than the Victorian and later florin and double florin. The mediaeval florins were withdrawn within a year because they contained insufficient gold for their face value and thus were unacceptable to merchants.

All British coins produced since 1662 have been milled, i.e., produced by machine; the first milled coins were produced during the reign of Elizabeth I and periodically during the reigns of James I and Charles I, but there was opposition to mechanisation from the moneyers who ensured that most coins continued to be produced by hammering. Elizabeth I (7 September 1533 – 24 March 1603) was Queen of England and Queen of Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. ...

In mediaeval times, the penny was a sterling silver coin. English silver pennies are a collectible, and are now quite rare. A variety of coins considered to be lower-value, including an Irish 2p piece and many US pennies. ... A collectible (or collectable) is a manufactured item designed for people to collect. ...

See also

• Royal Mint
• Roman currency
• Mark (money)
• UK topics

The Royal Mint is the body permitted to manufacture, or mint, coins in the United Kingdom. ... A denarius by Maximinus. ... The word mark (from an apparently non-Teutonic word found in all Teutonic and Romance languages, and Latinized as marca or marcus) originally expressed a measure of weight only for gold and silver, commonly used throughout western Europe and equivalent to 8 oz (ounces). ... This is a list of topics related to the United Kingdom. ...

External links

• Coins of England and Great Britain
• British Coin Denominations
• British Coinage from the Royal Mint's website.
• CoinPeople.com British Coin Forum A friendly numismatic community.

The Royal Mint is the body permitted to manufacture, or mint, coins in the United Kingdom. ...

1980 coin featuring portrait by Arnold Machin 1993 coin featuring portrait by Raphael Maklouf 2000 coin featuring portrait by Ian Rank-Broadley The British decimal Penny (1p) coin, produced by the Royal Mint, was issued on 15 February 1971, the day the British currency was decimalised. ... This article discusses the British decimal two pence coin, issued from 1971, only. ... The British decimal Five Pence (5p) coin was issued in 1968 in preparation for the forthcoming decimalisation of the coinage. ... The British decimal Ten Pence (10p) coin was issued in 1968 in preparation for the forthcoming decimalisation of the coinage. ... The British decimal Twenty Pence (20p) coin was issued in June 1982 to fill in the obvious gap between the Ten Pence and Fifty Pence coins; it rapidly gained acceptance and very large numbers now circulate [1]. The coin is minted from an alloy of 84% copper and 16% nickel... The British decimal fifty pence (50p) coin was issued on October 14, 1969 in the run-up to decimalisation to replace the ten shilling note. ... This article discusses the British One Pound circulating coin issued since 1983, only. ... This article discusses the the commemorative British Two Pounds coins issued issued between 1986 and 1996, and the regular bimetallic circulation coins first issued in 1998 (dated 1997). ... Half new penny, 1982 The British decimal Half Penny (½p) or Hapenny (pronounced HAY-pnee) coin was first issued on 15 February 1971, the day the British currency was decimalised. ... The commemorative British decimal Twenty-Five Pence (25p) coin was issued in four designs between 1972 and 1981. ... This article discusses the commemorative British Five Pounds crown-sized coin issued since 1990, only. ...