Threepence 1938, Coin from British West Africa - detailed information

The British West African Pound was the currency of British West Africa, a group of British colonies, protectorates and mandate territories - Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ghana (originally Gold Coast) and Gambia.

The British West African Pound was equal to the (pre-decimal) Pound Sterling and was similarly subdivided into 20 shillings, each of 12 pence. In other words, the threepence (or three pence) was equal to a quarter of a shilling or 1/80th of a pound (i.e., 80 of these coins made one pound).

Initially the coins were issued in silver; this was later changed to tin brass, and then to copper-nickel - such as this coin.

After decolonisation, the coins were replaced by the various new countries as they introduced their own independent currencies:
- Nigeria introduced the Nigerian Pound in 1958
- Ghana introduced in Ghanaian Pound in 1958
- British Cameroon (on unification with Cameroon) adopted the Central African CFA Franc in 1961
- Sierra Leone introduced the Leone in 1964
- Gambia introduced the Gambian Pound in 1965

In some places, British West African coins circulated in parallel with the new coinage until 1968. Thus, 3 pence coins issued in 1938 would have circulated for up to 30 years depending on location.