Five Pence (Dent design, CuproNickel), Coin Type from United Kingdom - detailed information

Five Pence (Dent design, CuproNickel), Coin Type from United Kingdom (issued 2008 - 2012)
Coin TypeFive Pence (Dent design, CuproNickel)

The five pence coin is a small circulating denomination of the British (decimal) Pound Sterling.

In August 2005 the Royal Mint launched a competition to find new reverse designs for all circulating coins apart from the £2 coin. The winner, announced in April 2008, was Matthew Dent, whose designs were gradually introduced into the circulating British coinage from mid-2008. In a world-first concept, the designs for the 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p and 50p coins depict sections of the Royal Shield that form the whole shield when placed together. The shield in its entirety is featured on the £1 coin.

The new 5p coin design, which replaced the earlier 5p design by Christopher Ironside, depicts the centre of the Royal shield, showing the meeting point of the four quarters, with the value and denomination FIVE PENCE in the middle. The coin's obverse remains largely unchanged, but the beading (the ring of dots around the coin's circumference), which no longer features on the coin's reverse, has also been removed from the obverse.

The five pence coin was originally minted from cupronickel (75% Cu, 25% Ni), but since 2012 it has been minted in nickel-plated steel due to the increasing price of metal. From January 2013, the Royal Mint began a programme to gradually remove the previous cupro-nickel coins from circulation with replacement by the nickel-plated steel versions. This will have the side effect of leaving only one circulating reverse and observe combination.

Five pence and ten pence coins are legal tender only up to the sum of £5; this means it is permissible to refuse payment of sums greater than this amount in 5p and 10p coins to settle a debt.

Obverse
United Kingdom / Five Pence (Dent design, CuproNickel) - obverse photo

Crowned mature head of Queen Elizabeth II facing right (effigy known as the "Fourth Portrait"). The Queen wears the "Girls of Great Britain and Ireland" diamond tiara, a wedding gift from Queen Mary (Her Majesty's grandmother) in 1947 - which she also has on the Machin and the Gottwald portraits.

In tiny letters below the head, the artist's initials IRB (for Ian Rank-Broadley).

Around the effigy is the monarch's legend and the date: ELIZABETH · II · D · G REG · F · D · [year]. Translated from Latin: Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, Queen, Defender of the Faith [year].

Obverse Inscription ELIZABETH · II · D · G REG · F · D · [year]
Reverse
United Kingdom / Five Pence (Dent design, CuproNickel) - reverse photo

The reverse depicts the centre of the Royal shield, showing the meeting point of the four quarters, with the value and denomination FIVE PENCE in the middle. Unlike the earlier (Ironside) reverse, there is no beading (ring of dots) around the coin's circumference.

Reverse Inscription FIVE PENCE
EdgeMilledEdge InscriptionNone
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Royal Mint
Royal Mint
Five Pence (Dent design, CuproNickel): Details
CountryUnited Kingdom
CurrencyPound Sterling
Sub-type ofFive Pence
From2008
To2012
Face Value5 (x Penny)
CurrentYes
MaterialCuproNickel
DesignerMatthew Dent
TechnologyMilled (machine-made)
ShapeRound
OrientationMedal Alignment (Axis 0)
Size18.0000 mm
Thickness1.7000 mm
Mass3.2500 g
Five Pence (Dent design, CuproNickel): Photos
ImageDetails
Great Britain, Elizabeth II, 5 Pence, 2008
Copyright: NumisCorner.com
Source
Great Britain, Elizabeth II, 5 Pence, 2008
Copyright: NumisCorner.com
Source