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At the end of World War II the price of silver which had been 24 pence an ounce in 1939 had risen to 55.5 pence (the London controlled price), apparently with none available. The free suppliers' price at the time was 70 pence and even there supplies were very limited. In addition the UK government was under obligation to repay in kind 88,000,000 ounces to the USA obtained during the War. It was therefore decided to abandon silver for circulating coinage and substitute a cupro-nickel alloy. The first coins made with the new alloy were struck in 1947. The coin in the photo below is a proof-of-record strike of the new coinage. |
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| Obverse | |
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Bare head of King George VI facing left; around, part of the the monarch's legend in Latin GEORGIVS VI D: G: BR: OMN: REX (George the Sixth, by the Grace of God, King of all the Britains); below the neck truncation in small letters are the artist's initials HP (for [Thomas] Humphrey Paget). |
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| Reverse | |
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An ornate shield quartered with the arms of England (1 & 4) Scotland (2) and Ireland (3) dividing crowned GG (one G reversed); around above FID DEF IND IMP; around below, HALF CROWN 1947; a thistle, a rose and a shamrock near rim at 9, 12 and 3 o'clock. |
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| Reverse Inscription |
FID: DEF IND: IMP HALF CROWN 1947 |
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| Edge | Milled | Edge Inscription | None |
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| Notes | References to additional information:
77th Annual Report of the Deputy Master of the Royal Mint, 1946 p.1. |
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