Halfpenny (Ship), Coin Type from United Kingdom - detailed information

Effigy of the ruling British monarch, legend in Latin. During the existence of this coin type, pennies were issued for King George VI (1937 - 1952) and Queen Elizabeth II (1953 - 1956). Specimens were created for King Edward VIII in 1937 but never released.

Obverses used, and obverse varieties (as per Freeman):

King Edward VIII (1937) not released
Head and neck of King Edward VIII facing left; below the truncation of the neck, the designer's initials HP (for [Thomas] Humphrey Paget). Around, the monarch's legend EDWARDVS VIII D : G : BR : OMN : REX F : D : IND : IMP. (Edward the Eighth, by the Grace of God, King of all the Britains, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India).

Obverse 1 (King George VI) (1937 - 1948)
Bare head of King George VI facing left; below the neck in small letters, the designer's initials HP (for [Thomas] Humphrey Paget); around, the monarch's legend GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX F : D : IND : IMP. (George the Sixth, by the Grace of God, King of all the Britains, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India).

Obverse 2 (King George VI) (1949 - 1952)
Similar to Obverse 1 but the "IND : IMP." (Emperor of India) part is omitted from the legend due to the Independence of India. "F : D :" (Defender of the Faith) has been extended to "FIDEI DEF" (abbreviated from FIDEI DEFENSOR). Thus, the full legend now reads GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX FIDEI DEF..

Obverse 1 (Queen Elizabeth II) (1953)
Laureate bust of Queen Elizabeth II facing right (effigy by Mary Gillick known as the "First portrait"); the designer's initials, M.G., appear incuse, very faintly, on the base of the truncation. The monarch's legend ELIZABETH II DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REGINA F: D: + runs continuously all around the bust.

Obverse 2 (Queen Elizabeth II) (1953)
Similar to Obverse 1 (Queen Elizabeth II) but the bust is in higher relief and the initials M. G. are much more distinct. The legend is slightly closer to the border.

Obverse 3 (Queen Elizabeth II) (1954 - 1970)
Similar to Obverse 2 (Queen Elizabeth II) but the details of the bust are more deeply engraved and the legend now reads ELIZABETH · II · DEI · GRATIA · REGINA · F : D : +. The designer's initials M. G. are less distinct than on Obverse 2, but more so than on Obverse 1.

Obverse 4 (Queen Elizabeth II) (1956, 1967, 1970)
Similar to Obverse 3 but with a thicker rim, as a result of which the legend is closer to the border.

Three-masted sailing ship (Sir Francis Drake’s "Golden Hind") to left; behind in small letters, the designer's initials HP (for [Thomas] Humphrey Paget); around above, the denomination HALF PENNY; below, the date.

Freeman describes the following varieties of the reverse:

King Edward VIII (1937) not released
A full port view of a three-masted sailing ship, with bowsprit, full rigging and bellowing sails (representation of the Golden Hind of Sir Francis Drake), upon waves the lower outline of which is curved and concentric with the edge of the coin. Above the fore- and after-masts flutter the flags of St Andrew; above the main mast is a pennant incorporating the cross of St George.

Around above, the denomination HALF PENNY; below, the date 1937. In the field, to the right of the stern, the designer's initials HP (for [Thomas] Humphrey Paget).

Reverse A (King George VI) (1937)
Similar to that of King Edward VIII.

Following that, Freeman describes a number of reverse variations differing mainly in the size of the design and the alignment of the legend, where there was only one variation used during one year with the exception of 1940 when there were three. These are, as follows:

Reverse B (King George VI) (1938)
Reverse C (King George VI) (1939)
Reverse D (King George VI) (1940)
Reverse E (King George VI) (1940)
Reverse F (King George VI) (1940)
Reverse G (King George VI) (1941)
Reverse H (King George VI) (1942)
Reverse I (King George VI) (1943)
Reverse J (King George VI) (1944)
Reverse K (King George VI) (1945)
Reverse L (King George VI) (1946)
Reverse M (King George VI) (1947)
Reverse N (King George VI) (1948)
Reverse O (King George VI) (1949 - 1951)
Reverse P (King George VI) (1952)

Reverse A (Queen Elizabeth II) (1953 - 1954)
Similar to Reverse P (King George VI).

Reverse B (Queen Elizabeth II) (1953 - 1954)
Similar to Reverse A but the distance from the top of the ship to the base of the sea is 18.8 mm. The border teeth are considerably longer. The rim is thicker.

Reverse C (Queen Elizabeth II) (1955 - 1956)
Similar to Reverse B but the border teeth are short.

Reverse D (Queen Elizabeth II) (1956 - 1957)
Similar to Reverse B, with longer border teeth. The rim is thicker than on all previous reverses. The waves are depicted by almost straight lines.

Reverse E (Queen Elizabeth II) (1957 - 1958, 1960, 1962, 1964)
Similar to Reverse D but the waves are markedly undulating in appearance. The width of the ship is 21 mm.

Reverse F (Queen Elizabeth II) (1958, 1963)
Similar to Reverse E, with longer border teeth. The rim is narrower. The ship, at its widest point, is 21.2 mm.

Reverse G (Queen Elizabeth II) (1958 - 1959)
Similar to Reverse F but with slightly thicker rim and shorter border teeth. The width of the ship is the same, 21.2 mm.

Reverse H (Queen Elizabeth II) (1965)
Similar to Reverse G but the rim is narrower and the border teeth are shorter. The width of the ship is 21.3 mm.

Reverse I (Queen Elizabeth II) (1966)
Similar to Reverse H but the ship is 21.5 mm wide.

Reverse J (Queen Elizabeth II) (1967)
Similar to Reverse I but the border teeth are smaller, with larger spaces between them.

Reverse K (Queen Elizabeth II) (1970)
Similar to Reverse I but the ship is 21.7 mm wide.

During the reign of King George VI, proof strikings were issued in specimen sets in 1937, 1950 and 1951. Proofs of other years are all extremely rare.

Proof specimens struck during 1954-1956 are all extremely rare. The 1953 proofs were issued in specimen sets late in the year and all show the re-cut portrait.

References to additional information:

[Book] Bressett, Kenneth E. 1962. A Guidebook of English Coins, Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries. Wisconsin, USA. pp 28-30
[Book] Freeman, Michael J. 1970. The Bronze Coinage of Great Britain. Motherwell, Scotland. (2016 ed. pp106-117)
[Book] Remick, Jerome. 1971. The Guide Book and Catalogue to British Commonwealth Coins., pp199-200