Web Directory: Coins from Great Britan and the Commonwealth

The British decimal five pence (5p) coin – often pronounced five pee – is a unit of currency equaling five one-hundredths of a pound sterling.

The British decimal halfpenny (½p) coin was introduced in February 1971, at the time of decimalisation, and was worth one two-hundredth of a pound sterling. It was ignored in banking transactions, which were carried out in units of 1p.

The pre-decimal penny (1d) was a coin worth one two-hundred-and-fortieth of a pound sterling. Its symbol was d, from the Roman denarius. It was a continuation of the earlier English penny, and in Scotland it had the same monetary value of one pre-1707 shilling. The penny was originally minted in silver, but from the late eighteenth-century onward it was minted in copper, and then after 1860 in bronze.

The British decimal twenty pence (20p) coin – often pronounced twenty pee – is a unit of currency equaling twenty one-hundredths of a pound sterling. Like the 50p coin it is an equilateral curve heptagon.

The British three halfpence was a silver coin worth 1½d or 1/160th of a pound produced for circulation in the British colonies, mainly in Ceylon and the West Indies in each year between 1834 and 1843, and also in 1860 and 1862. Proof coins were also produced in 1870.

The British twenty pound (£20) coin is a commemorative coin, first issued by the Royal Mint in 2013.

The five guineas gold coin started out life as a five-pound coin before the fluctuating value of the guinea eventually settled at twenty-one shillings; therefore it is arguable that the five pounds piece issued after the Great Recoinage of 1816 is merely a continuation of the earlier value. However, the £5 coin tends to have a more modern "feel" and so is normally considered separately. The coin was normally issued in cased "proof" condition, and rarely circulated, as well as being issued in small quantities which today often result in extremely high values of many tens of thousands of pounds being achieved when a coin appears at auction. The normal weight of the denomination was 40 grams.

From early Anglo-Saxon times the shilling was a unit of account, that is to say, a value used in calculations which had no corresponding coin. Its value became established as equivalent to 12 pence and there were 20 shillings to the pound.

The shilling as a coin was introduced at the beginning of the 16th century during the last years of the reign of Henry VII and until the middle of that century was known as a testoon. It was one of the first English coins to bear a real portrait of the monarch instead of the representative portrait which had served for the previous ten centuries; and it was for this reason that it derived its name of testoon from the Italian Testone or Headpiece introduced in Milan in 1474.

The Royal Maundy is an ancient ceremony which has its origin in the commandment Christ gave after washing the feet of his disciples on the day before Good Friday. Maundy money has remained in much the same form since 1670, and the coins used for the Maundy ceremony have traditionally been struck in sterling silver, save for the brief interruptions of Henry VIII’s debasement of the coinage and the general change to 50% silver coins in 1920. The sterling silver standard (92.5%) was resumed following the Coinage Act of 1946 and in 1971, when decimalisation took place, the face values of the coins were increased from old to new pence. The effigy of The Queen on ordinary circulating coinage has undergone four changes, but Maundy coins still bear the same portrait of Her Majesty prepared by Mary Gillick for the first coins issued in the year of her coronation in 1953.

Belize's coins.

Bahamian Coins.

United Kingdom decimal coins issued into general circulation - mintage figures by coin type and year.

The sovereign is a gold coin of the United Kingdom, with a nominal value of one pound sterling. Prior to 1932 it was a fully circulating coin within Britain's then Gold Standard currency. Today it is used as a bullion coin and is sometimes mounted in jewellery.

The Central Bank of Belize may determine that any issue or denomination of notes or coins issued by the Bank shall cease to be legal tender with effect from any date.

Demonetized bank notes are notes taken out of circulation by the Central Bank of Belize in accordance with Part V Section 22 (2) of the Central Bank of Belize Act. When notes are taken out of circulation, a notice is published in the Gazette, giving holders of the demonetized notes and coins reasonable time to exchange them at the Bank for their face value with currency which is legal tender. Demonetized currency is only redeemable at the Central Bank of Belize.

The New Zealand fifty-cent coin is a coin of the New Zealand dollar. It was the largest by denomination, diameter and mass to have been introduced on the decimalisation of the currency on 10 July 1967, replacing the pre-decimal crown coin (five shillings).

On 31 July 2006, as part of a revision of New Zealand's coinage, the fifty cent was made smaller, lighter and of a cheaper alloy (nickel-plated steel). On 1 November of that year the previous larger fifty cent coin was demonetised.

The British farthing (¼d) coin, from "fourthing", was a unit of currency of one quarter of a penny, or one nine hundred and sixtieth of a pound sterling. It was minted in bronze, and replaced the earlier copper farthings. It was used during the reign of six monarchs: Victoria, Edward VII, George V, Edward VIII, George VI and Elizabeth II, ceasing to be legal tender in 1960. It featured two different designs on its reverse during its one hundred years in circulation: from 1860 until 1936, the image of Britannia; and from 1937 onwards, the image of a wren. Like all British coinage, it bore the portrait of the monarch on the obverse.

The New Zealand one-dollar coin ($1) is a coin of the New Zealand dollar. The current circulating coin was introduced on 11 February 1991 to replace the existing $1 note. There had previously been occasional issues of commemorative "silver dollars", but they are rarely seen in circulation.

The depiction of a kiwi on the reverse helps give the New Zealand dollar the colloquial name "Kiwi (dollar)", although the term was in use before the $1 coin was introduced.

Some of the coins of the Colony of Belize retain the same basic designs as on the coins of British Honduras, but with the country's name changed. These coins were struck at the Royal Mint, Llantrisant. However, there were coins struck at the Franklin Mint, which depicts the Belizean Coat-of-Arms (the same as the British Honduras Coat-of-Arms) on the obverse instead of the Queen's portrait.

Except for the short period during the reign of Edward III in the 14th century, when a gold florin was struck by the Royal Mint, the florin did not feature as part of the British coinage until 1849.

It was introduced as a concession to enthusiasts for a decimal system of coinage, being one-tenth of a pound in value. It owed its name not to any resemblance in shape or value to the gold florins of Edward III but to the fact that it was about the same size as Dutch and Austrian florins current at that time. Its first issue aroused public indignation owing to the omission of the words DEI GRATIA and FIDEI DEFENSOR from Queen Victoria’s titles, the coin thereby commonly being known as the Godless or Graceless florin. This omission was soon corrected and the florin proved to be a useful addition to the silver circulation, if sometimes troublesome because of its close similarity in size to the half-crown.

With its enormous size and magnificent designs, the new sovereign constituted a remarkable addition to the English coinage. For the first time the pound sterling, in use for centuries as a denomination of account, was given material expression in the shape of a single coin. For all that the sovereign may have performed some economic function as a large and impressive store of wealth, it is unlikely there was a genuine monetary need for a piece of such high value. The main stimulus for the new coin was probably political, the purpose being to add lustre both at home and abroad to the image of the new Tudor dynasty. Indeed the sovereign may well have appeared in 1489 precisely because it was in that year the Tudors gained effective international recognition in the Treaty of Medina del Campo – by which Henry VII’s son and heir, Arthur, was to marry a Spanish princess.

The sixpence was introduced in 1551, during the reign of Edward VI, and owed its origin to the fact that in the 1540s the coinage had been so debased that the value of the silver testoon fell from 12 pence to 6 pence.

The official coinage of the Isle of Man are denominated in Manx pounds. The coins are minted by Pobjoy Mint Limited. Due to matching appearance and value of Pound Sterling coins, these coins often appear in circulation within the United Kingdom. However, they are not legal tender there. Conversely, the Isle of Man does recognise Pound Sterling coins.

The British decimal one penny (1p) coin, usually simply known as a penny, is a unit of currency equaling one one-hundredth of a pound sterling. The penny’s symbol is p.

On 31st July 2006, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand introduced a new set of smaller and lighter coins to replace the existing 10, 20 and 50 cent pieces. The 5 cent piece was phased out of circulation, while recovery of the old coinage began.

New Zealand, like the United Kingdom and Australia, has a fractional coinage system. In April 1963, however, it was announced that the Government had decided to change to a decimal currency in 1967. Distinctive New Zealand coins, issued since 1933 when the Coinage Act was passed, are the crown, half-crown, florin, shilling, sixpence, threepence, penny, and halfpenny. No farthings have been issued.

The British quarter farthing ( 1⁄16d) coin was a unit of currency equaling one three-thousand-eight-hundred-and-fortieth of a pound sterling, or one sixteenth of a penny.

As a result of the inflation, it became apparent that the £1 unit of currency was more suited to being a coin than a banknote. A coin can remain in circulation for decades whereas, by the early 1980s, £1 banknotes were being used so intensively they lasted only a few months. To make the coin easily distinguishable, it was struck in a yellow-coloured metal – nickel-brass – and was made particularly thick. As for the design, a recurring five-year programme was instituted in which a design representing the United Kingdom as a whole was followed by a series of four designs representing the home nations.

The United Kingdom 2p coin was introduced on the 15 February 1971 with the introduction of a new decimal currency system. The other two coins issued at this time were the 1/2p and 1p coins. To avoid confusion between the old and new coinage all three coins had the word 'NEW' incorporated into the reverse design. This was subsequently removed in 1982. The first copper-plated steel 2p coins were struck in 1992. The reason for this change was the increase in the price of metals on the world markets. The coins have a mild steel core and are electroplated with copper - consequently they are magnetic. The 2p coin is legal tender for amounts up to 20p.

Information about Britannia coins issued by The Royal Mint.

The United Kingdom coinage is kept under constant review. By 1980 it had become apparent that with the general decline in purchasing power, the £1 unit of currency was more appropriate to a coin than a banknote. The note was in constant use on average lasting only nine months, whereas a coin can last as long as forty years or more and with the growth in the vending industry it was felt that a coin would be more useful. After consultation with many groups including retailers and special interest groups, the Government announced on 31 July 1981 that a new £1 coin that was to be issued on 21 April 1983.

The double florin (4/-) was one of the shortest-lived British coin denominations ever, only being produced during four mint years, between 1887 and 1890.

The New Zealand ten-cent coin is the lowest denomination coin of the New Zealand dollar. The 10 cent coin was introduced when the New Zealand dollar was introduced on 10 July 1967, replacing the New Zealand shilling coin. In 2006 its size was reduced as part of a revision of New Zealand's coins, which also saw its alloy become copper-plated steel.

These coins, as the name suggests, are issued to commemorate special occasions of national importance usually, but not exclusively, Royal in theme. They are intended to be souvenirs rather than ordinary circulation coins and are consequently seldom found in everyday circulation.

An anna was a currency unit formerly used in India and Pakistan, equal to 1/16 rupee. It was subdivided into 4 paisa or 12 pies (thus there were 64 paise in a rupee and 192 pies). The term belonged to the Muslim monetary system. The ānā was demonetised as a currency unit when India decimalised its currency in 1957, followed by Pakistan in 1961. It was replaced by the 5-paise coin, which was itself discontinued in 1994 and demonetised in 2011. Even today, though, a 50 paise coin is sometimes colloquially referred to as 8 ānās and a 25-paise coin as 4 ānās.

One of the undoubted strengths of the Royal Mint Museum is its collection of pattern coins of Edward VIII. Quite apart from their extreme rarity, there are interesting stories surrounding specific pieces, the choice of the king's portrait being one such episode. William McMillan, a Royal Academician, and Humphrey Paget were asked to prepare uncrowned effigies of the king. When the portraits were submitted opinion on the Royal Mint Advisory Committee was so divided about their respective merits that the views of the king himself were sought.

The New Zealand twenty-cent coin is the second lowest denomination coin of the New Zealand dollar. The 20 cent coin was introduced when the New Zealand dollar was introduced on 10 July 1967, replacing the New Zealand florin coin. Its original reverse of a kiwi was changed in 1990 when the image was moved onto the one dollar coin. In 2006 its size was reduced and its edge altered to a Spanish flower as part of a revision of New Zealand's coins, which also saw its alloy become nickel-plated steel.

Pre-dating the sovereign by a couple of decades, a 10-shilling coin was issued for the first time during the reign of Edward IV. But this fine gold coin and its direct descendants are known as ryals rather than half-sovereigns and thus are not considered here.

The English Penny, originally a coin of 1.3 to 1.5 g pure silver, was introduced around the year 785 by King Offa of Mercia. These coins were similar in size and weight to the continental deniers of the period, and to the Anglo-Saxon sceats which had gone before it. Throughout the period of the Kingdom of England, from its beginnings in the 9th century, the penny was produced in silver. Pennies of the same nominal value, one 240th of a pound sterling, were in circulation continuously until the creation of the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707.

The Central Bank of Belize Act gives the Bank the sole right to issue notes and coins in Belize. Therefore, only such notes and coins issued by the Central Bank of Belize are legal tender in Belize.

The Bank protects the integrity of the Belize currency notes and is committed to continuous review and enhancement of the design and security features so that the notes remain strong and secure against counterfeiting threats, particularly, changing technologies. The notes are designed so that they are difficult to reproduce and at the same time, allow the public to readily distinguish between genuine and counterfeit notes.

The gold guinea was undoubtedly the major British coin of the eighteenth century. It was born in the aftermath of the English Civil War when the republican issues were replaced with a more impressive coinage bearing the portrait of the newly restored King, Charles II. Romantically named ‘guinea’ since gold for coining was then supplied by the Africa Company operating along the Guinea Coast, it was given a nominal value of 20 shillings. Its actual value fluctuated until finally stabilising, in 1717, at 21 shillings, a monetary unit used up decimalisation in 1971.

Online shop of The Royal Mint.

United Kingdom decimal coins issued into general circulation - mintage figures by coin type and year.

The one hundred pound coin (£100) is a commemorative coin of the pound sterling. Issued for the first time by the Royal Mint in 2015 and sold at face value, one hundred pound coins hold legal tender status but are intended as collectors' items and are not found in general circulation.

The Noble was the first English gold coin produced in quantity, having been preceded by the Gold penny and the Florin earlier in the reigns of King Henry III and King Edward III, which saw little circulation. The derivatives of the Noble, the Half Noble and Quarter Noble, on the other hand were produced in quantity and were very popular. The value of the coin was six shillings and eight pence (written 6/8), which was equivalent to eighty pence or one-third of a pound sterling. The weight was changed from issue to issue to maintain this value until 1464 when the value was increased. Throughout the history of this denomination there are many varieties of inscriptions, mintmarks, and to some extent, design.

The British five pound (£5) coin is a commemorative denomination of the pound sterling.

The British crown, the successor to the English crown and the Scottish dollar, came into being with the Union of the kingdoms of England and Scotland in 1707. As with the English coin, its value was five shillings.

The British one pound (£1) coin is a denomination of the pound sterling.

The shilling (1/-) was a coin worth one twentieth of a pound sterling, or twelve pence. It was first minted in the reign of Henry VII as the testoon, and became known as the shilling sometime in the mid-sixteenth century, circulating until 1990.

Royal Maundy is a religious service in the Church of England held on Maundy Thursday, the day before Good Friday. At the service, the British Monarch or a royal official ceremonially distributes small silver coins known as "Maundy money" (legally, "the Queen's Maundy money") as symbolic alms to elderly recipients. The coins are legal tender but do not circulate because of their silver content and numismatic value.

The pre-decimal twopence (2d) was a coin worth one one-hundred-and-twentieth of a pound sterling, or two pence. It was a short lived denomination, only being minted in 1797 by Matthew Boulton's Soho Mint.

Like the crown, the half-crown was introduced as a gold coin during the reign of Henry VIII and, also like the crown, under Edward VI in the year 1551 it was issued as a silver coin. The issue of gold half-crowns ceased in the 17th century, but the silver half-crown continued in circulation. In 1849 its existence was threatened by the introduction of the florin as a first step towards a decimal currency. In January 1970, over 100 years later, this threat finally became a reality and the half-crown ceased to be legal tender.

The commemorative British decimal twenty-five pence (25p) coin was issued in four designs between 1972 and 1981. These coins were a post-decimalisation continuation of the traditional crown, with the same value of a quarter of a pound sterling. Uniquely in British decimal coinage, the coins do not have their value stated on them. This is because previous crowns rarely did so.

By the end of the 1970's it had become apparent that the new decimal coinage was in need of change because it was widely regarded as much too heavy. After a review of the coinage, it was proposed that the introduction of a 20p piece would substantially reduce the weight of coins in the system by decreasing the number of 10p coins in use. To help identification and avoid confusion with similar sized coins the 20p is seven sided and like the 50p an equilateral curve heptagon. The shape, with its constant rolling diameter, means that it is readily acceptable in vending machines. The 20p coin is legal tender for amounts up to £10.

The standard circulating coinage of the United Kingdom is denominated in pounds sterling (symbol "£"), and, since the introduction of the two-pound coin in 1994 (to celebrate the 300th Anniversary of the Bank of England 1694-1994), ranges in value from one penny to two pounds.

The Unite was the second English gold coin with a value of twenty shillings or one pound first produced during the reign of King James I. It was named after the legends on the coin indicating the king's intention of uniting his two kingdoms of England and Scotland. The unite was valued at twenty shillings until 1612 when the increase in the value of gold throughout Europe caused it to be raised to twenty-two shillings. The coin was produced during James I's second coinage (1604–1619), and it was replaced in the third coinage by the Laurel worth twenty shillings. All the coins were produced at the Tower Mint in London.

In New Zealand efforts have periodically been made to introduce the decimal system. In 1957 a representative committee was appointed by the then Minister of Finance “to examine matters connected with the possible introduction of decimal coinage in New Zealand”. In its report, dated 1 October 1959, the committee stated that it “is agreed in principle that a change to decimal coinage is desirable” and recommended a system that would involve a 10s. unit, with 10 lower units, “cents”, to the shilling.

The New Zealand one-cent coin was the smallest denomination coin of the New Zealand dollar from the currency's introduction in 1967 to its demonetisation, along with the two-cent coin, on 30 April 1990. With a diameter of 17.53 millimetres, it is the smallest coin ever issued of the dollar, and at 2.07 grams in mass the lightest as well. Its reverse featured a fern leaf, a sign of New Zealand, associated also with its national rugby union team. The image was designed by Reginald George James Berry, who designed the reverses for all coins introduced that year.

A site about British hammered coins, milled coins, tokens and medallions.

The New Zealand two-dollar coin is the largest-denomination coin of the New Zealand dollar. It was introduced along with the one-dollar coin in 1990. Both are made from an alloy of aluminium and brass. It is the largest and heaviest coin in circulation, weighing ten grams and measuring 26.5 millimetres in diameter. Its thickness is 2.7 mm, only 0.4 mm thinner than the one-dollar coin, thus it is the second-thickest coin in the country's circulation.

In January 2009, the Royal Mint announced on its website that a new coin denomination, the quarter sovereign, would be introduced. Comprising 2 grams of 22 carat gold, the 13.5 mm diameter quarter sovereign is the smallest modern legal tender British gold coin. It is a quarter of the weight of a sovereign.

As a result of inflation, it became apparent that the 10-shilling unit of currency was more suited to being a coin than a banknote. A coin can remain in circulation for decades whereas, by the late 1960s, 10-shilling banknotes were being used so intensively they lasted only a few months. With decimalisation imminent, the new coin was struck bearing the decimal denomination of 50p but it circulated for the first couple of years as a 10-shilling piece. To make the coin easily distinguishable, it was given the revolutionary new shape of an equilateral curve heptagon. With its constant rolling diameter, this shape is particularly suitable for vending machines.

Although the silver penny had been part of the currency since the middle of the seventh century, halfpennies and farthings did not become a regular feature until the 13th century. Until then, for the purpose of change, pennies were cut into halves and quarters, so that a halfpenny was literally half a penny and a farthing a quarter or ‘fourthing’.

As with the penny, round halfpennies and farthings in silver became in due course too small to be of practical use. The silver farthing ceased to be coined under Edward VI and the silver halfpenny 100 years later during the period of the Commonwealth.

The site is focused on providing all visitors with an insight into the wonderful world of farthings. The intention is that the site will primarily contain information on British milled farthings, with varieties listed where known. The approach is to provide a visual reference, which will allow users to identify the many types and varieties by indicating visible features and differences.

Although a coin of five shillings was struck for a few years during the reign of Edward IV, under the name of a half-ryal, it was not until the reign of Henry VIII that a gold coin known as a crown was introduced.

This first crown, which had been introduced in August 1526 with a value of four shillings and sixpence, had a very short life. In October of the same year it was superseded by a new crown having the more convenient value of five shillings.

The 1933 British Penny is, perhaps, one of the most famous coin rarities in the English-speaking world today – allegedly only seven coins were minted – specifically for the king to lay under the foundation stones of new buildings. So why do so many people claim to have a 1933 penny in their possession or to have seen one?

The New Zealand two-cent coin was the second smallest denomination coin of the New Zealand dollar from the currency's introduction in 1967 to its demonetisation, along with the one-cent coin, on 30 April 1990. Its reverse featured two kōwhai flowers, considered emblematic of New Zealand. The image was designed by Reginald George James Berry, who designed the reverses for all coins introduced that year.

With the introduction of the decimal coinage in 1971 the pre-decimal two shilling coin was redenominated as a 10p piece and these two shilling coins continued to circulate alongside the 10p coins until 1993. After a review of the United Kingdom coinage in 1987, the Government announced its intention to issue a smaller 10p coin. The smaller coin was issued on 30 September 1992 and as at 31 December 2005 there were an estimated 1,587 million 10p coins in circulation. The 10p coin is legal tender for amounts up to £5.

Copper half-farthings were minted from 1828 to 1856. At first they were intended for use in Ceylon but in 1842 they were declared legal tender in the United Kingdom. A first issue was made in 1844, but the coins were a nine days’ wonder and never became popular in this country. They were demonetised with effect from 1 January 1870.

The half sovereign is an English and British gold coin with a face value half that of a sovereign: equivalent to half a pound sterling, ten shillings, or 120 old pence. Since the end of the gold standard, it has been issued only in limited quantities as a commemorative coin with a sale price and resale value far in excess of its face value.

The Jamaican coat of arms appears on the obverse (front) of each coin, while Jamaican national heroes are portrayed on the reverse (back) of all coins, except the 1c coin which features the national fruit, ackee.

The guinea is a coin of approximately one quarter ounce of gold that was minted in the Kingdom of England and later in the Kingdom of Great Britain and the United Kingdom between 1663 and 1814. It was the first English machine-struck gold coin, originally worth one pound sterling, equal to twenty shillings; but rises in the price of gold relative to silver caused the value of the guinea to increase, at times to as high as thirty shillings; from 1717 until 1816, its value was officially fixed at twenty-one shillings.

The Royal Mint was the official licensee for the manufacture of coins for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Its full range included the impressive Gold Series of 22 carat gold coins, the four-year Countdown Series and the popular London 2012 sports collection of 50p coins.

2p coins were issued into circulation on 15 February 1971, the day the United Kingdom adopted a decimal system of currency.

Alderney is proud to issue its own commemorative coinage, in conjunction with the Royal Mint, to honour the close relationship between the Island and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

The coins, issued to commemorate important events, inventions and people in the island's history, remain highly popular throughout the world with both coin enthusiasts and one off collectors alike.

The British decimal ten pence (10p) coin – often pronounced ten pee – is a unit of currency equalling ten one-hundredths of a pound sterling.

The third farthing was a British coin (1⁄12 of a penny, 1⁄2880 of a pound) which was produced in various years between 1827 and 1913.

The British decimal fifty pence (50p) coin – often pronounced fifty pee – is a unit of currency equaling one half of a pound sterling. It is a seven-sided coin formed as an equilateral curve heptagon, a curve of constant width, meaning that the diameter is constant across any bisection.

The British farthing (derived from the Anglo-Saxon feorthing, a fourthling or fourth part) was a coin of the Kingdom of Great Britain, a new sovereign state created in 1707 by the merging of the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland, and later a coin of the United Kingdom. Worth one quarter of a penny (1⁄960 of a pound sterling), it was a continuation of the English farthing first minted in silver in the 13th century. Farthings continued to be used until 31 December 1960, when they ceased to be legal tender.

10p coins were issued from April 1968 and originally circulated as florins. All florins – meaning both pre-decimal florins and the new 10p coins – were redenominated as coins of ten new pence at the time of decimalisation.

The British two shilling coin, also known as the florin or "two bob bit", was issued from 1849 until 1967. It was worth one tenth of a pound, or twenty-four old pence. It should not be confused with the medieval gold florin, which was nominally worth six shillings.

In October 1969 the 50p joined the 5p (shilling) and 10p (florin) coins in circulation, leaving only the three copper coins to be introduced on 15 February 1971 to complete the new series of decimal coins. The design on the reverse of the 50p coin features a symbol of Britannia that has appeared on our coinage since 1672. While this design may have been traditional, the shape of the new 50p coin, an equilateral curve heptagon, was revolutionary. This made it easily distinguishable from round coins both by feel and by sight, while its constant breadth allowed it to roll in vending machines. With the introduction of smaller 5p and 10p coins in 1990 and 1992 respectively, the 50p became the largest coin in circulation. In October 1994 the Government announced a further review of the United Kingdom coinage. The results revealed a requirement for a smaller 50p coin, which was duly introduced on 1 September 1997. Since its issue the 50p has been used on several occasions to celebrate important events, each being commemorated by a new reverse design.

Information about gold Sovereign coins issued by The Royal Mint.

The British pre-decimal halfpenny (½d) coin, usually simply known as a halfpenny, was a unit of currency that equaled half of a penny or one four-hundred-and-eightieth of a pound sterling.

The British threepence (3d) coin, usually simply known as a threepence or threepenny bit, was a unit of currency equaling one eightieth of a pound sterling, or three pence sterling. It was used in the United Kingdom, and earlier in Great Britain and England. Similar denominations were later used throughout the British Empire, notably in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.

The Great Recoinage of 1816 was an attempt by the British Government to re-stabilise the currency of Great Britain following economic difficulties precipitated by the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars.

This is only the fifth definitive portrait of The Queen to appear on British circulating coins since her accession to the throne in 1952, making it a very rare event indeed.

The five pound gold coin is Britain's largest and most impressive gold coin, although there was previously a five guinea piece which was about 5% heavier. The designs generally follow that of the sovereign, so that the reverse usually features Benedetto Pistrucci's magnificent depiction of Saint George slaying the dragon.

The British decimal two pence (2p) coin – often pronounced two pee – is a unit of currency equaling two one-hundredths of a pound sterling.

The New Zealand five-cent coin was the lowest denomination coin of the New Zealand dollar from 1990 to 2006. The five-cent coin was introduced when the New Zealand dollar was introduced on 10 July 1967, replacing the New Zealand sixpence coin. On 31 July 2006 it was eliminated as part of a revision of New Zealand's coins, and it was demonetised (no longer legal tender) as of 1 November 2006.

The half guinea gold coin of the Kingdom of England and later of Great Britain was first produced in 1669, some years after the Guinea entered circulation. It was officially eliminated in the Great Recoinage of 1816, although, like the guinea, it was used in quoting prices until decimalisation.

Her Majesty The Queen’s portrait is on all current UK coins - that is a fact we all know. Also referred to as The Queen’s effigy, it is a sign of royal approval, but have you noticed that there is more than one effigy of The Queen on the coins that we all handle every day?

The sixpence (6d), sometimes known as a tanner or sixpenny bit, was a coin worth one-fortieth of a pound sterling, or six pence. It was first minted in the reign of Edward VI and circulated until 1980. Following decimalisation in 1970 it had a value of 2½ new pence.

The British halfpenny coin was worth 1/480th of a pound sterling. At first in its 700-year history it was made from silver but as the value of silver increased, the coin was made from base metals. It was finally abandoned in 1969 as part of the process of decimalising the British currency.

The British two pound (£2) coin is a denomination of the pound sterling.

The British half farthing (1⁄8d) coin, usually simply known as a half farthing, was a unit of currency equaling one one-thousand-nine-hundred-and-twentieth of a pound sterling, or one eighth of a penny.

In 1707 the Act of the Union was passed joining England and Scotland into a single realm, this coin was struck after that so the arms of England and Scotland are halved within a shield and repeated twice. Before the Union each set of arms occupied its own shield.

The legend on the coin reads as a single title from front to back, it translates as 'Anne by the Grace of God Queen of Great Britain, France and Ireland".

Personal site with quality photos of British coins. For each section are selected just one or two coins to represent the various types available; where more than one of a type is illustrated it is generally to show a rare or unusual variety. Most pages will list copper and bronze, then silver, then proofs with medals at the bottom of the page.

The coins of the Cypriot pound are part of the physical form of former Cypriot currency, the Cypriot pound. They have been issued since coming under British rule in 1878, until Cyprus' adoption of Euro in 2008.

Commemorative £2 coins in the single metal of nickel-brass were struck on several occasions between 1986 and 1996 to mark special occasions. Further details about these coins may be found by clicking on the box opposite.

Like the sixpence, the threepenny piece first appeared as a silver coin in 1551. But in competition with the half-groat or twopenny piece, which had already been in circulation for 200 years, it led a precarious existence and was unable to establish itself firmly. Struck during the reign of Elizabeth I and then again during the Civil War, minting was resumed following the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660. By the early part of the 18th century the coin only really survived as a part of the small annual issues of Maundy Money.

1p coins were issued into circulation on 15 February 1971, the day the United Kingdom adopted a decimal system of currency.

The 20p coin was introduced into circulation in June, with a view to reducing the overall weight of the coinage by decreasing the number of 10p coins in use. To make the new coin easily distinguishable, it was given the shape of an equilateral curve heptagon – the same as a 50p. With its constant rolling diameter, this shape is particularly suitable for vending machines.

At the time of decimalisation the United Kingdom five-shilling crown was redenominated as a 25p coin and pieces struck prior to 1990 – all the way back to 1818 – continue to be legal tender for that amount. The face value of new issues of the coin from 1990 was increased to £5.

Crowns are issued to mark special occasions, usually royal in theme, rather than for use in general circulation. They are legal tender – for £5 or 25p as described above – but contrary to popular belief this does not mean that banks and retailers automatically have to accept them.

The half crown was a denomination of British money, equivalent to two shillings and sixpence, or one-eighth of a pound. The half crown was first issued in 1549, in the reign of Edward VI. No half crowns were issued in the reign of Mary, but from the reign of Elizabeth I half crowns were issued in every reign except Edward VIII, until the coins were discontinued in 1967.

The United Kingdom 1p coin was one of three new coins introduced into general circulation on the 15 February 1971 when the United Kingdom adopted a new decimal currency system. The other two new coins were the 1/2p and 2p coins. To avoid confusion between the old and new coinage all three coins had the word 'NEW' incorporated into the reverse design. This was later removed in 1982. The first copper-plated steel 1p coins were struck in 1992. The reason for this change was the increase in the price of metals on the world markets. The coins have a mild steel core and are electroplated with copper - consequently they are magnetic. The 1p coin is legal tender for amounts up to 20p.

In November 2008 a number of 20p coins were incorrectly minted resulting in their having no date. This problem affected less than 250,000 coins of the 136 million 20p pieces minted in 2008-09 and was due to the previous obverse (the ‘Heads’ side) being used with the new reverse (the ‘Tails’ side) design, meaning the year of issue did not feature at all. These coins remain legal tender and still have a face value of 20p.

The pre-decimal fourpence (4d), sometimes known as a groat or fourpenny bit, was a coin worth one sixtieth of a pound sterling, or four pence.

5p coins were issued from April 1968 and originally circulated as shillings. All shillings – meaning both pre-decimal shillings and the new 5p coins – were redenominated as coins of five new pence at the time of decimalisation.

The guinea is a coin of approximately one quarter ounce of gold that was minted in the Kingdom of England and later in the Kingdom of Great Britain and the United Kingdom between 1663 and 1814. It was the first English machine-struck gold coin, originally worth one pound sterling, equal to twenty shillings, but rises in the price of gold relative to silver caused the value of the guinea to increase, at times to as high as thirty shillings. From 1717 to 1816, its value was officially fixed at twenty-one shillings. Then, Great Britain adopted the gold standard and guinea became a colloquial or specialised term.

Changes in the royal portrait occur but rarely on United Kingdom coins. Even during the long reign of Queen Victoria there were no more than five portraits, one of which enjoyed such royal favour that it continued to be used for some 50 years. Similarly, only four standard effigies of the present Queen have been used on the United Kingdom coinage since her accession in 1952.

The Royal Maundy is an ancient ceremony which has its origin in the commandment Christ gave after washing the feet of his disciples on the day before Good Friday. The commandment, or mandatum, 'that ye love one another' (John XIII 34) is still recalled regularly by Christian churches throughout the world and the ceremony of monarchs washing the feet of the poor, accompanied by gifts of food and clothing, can be traced back to the fourth century.

It seems to have been the custom as early as the 13th century for members of the royal family to take part in Maundy ceremonies, to distribute money and gifts, and to recall Christ's simple act of humility by washing the feet of the poor. Henry IV began the practice of relating the number of recipients of gifts to the monarch's age, and as it became the custom of the monarch to perform the ceremony, the event became known as the Royal Maundy.

The penny is the great survivor of the British coinage system. Derived indirectly from the old Roman denarius, it existed as a small silver coin from Anglo-Saxon times. It survived the Norman Conquest of 1066 and continued to be struck for circulation until the middle of the 17th century, 12 pennies making a shilling and 20 shillings a pound.

Because of the rising price of silver the penny became progressively smaller and from the Restoration of Charles II in 1660 it was struck only for use as part of the Royal Maundy. Silver pennies are still struck today for the same purpose, nearly 1400 years after the penny first appeared as a small silver coin.

The first base metal £2 coin was issued in the United Kingdom in 1986 to commemorate the Thirteenth Commonwealth Games which that year were held in Scotland. Commemorative £2 coins continued to be issued in single colour nickel-brass for special occasions.

This site has been created to give information regarding the history of maundy money.

The Royal Mint takes counterfeiting and fraud extremely seriously. To help identify genuine £1 coins The Royal Mint has prepared an easy-to-use guide and poster for you to download.

With the introduction of the decimal coinage in 1971 the pre-decimal one shilling coin was re-denominated as a 5p coin and these old shilling coins continued to circulate alongside the 5p coin until 1990. After a review of the United Kingdom coinage in 1987, the Government announced its intention to issue a smaller 5p coin. The 5p coin is legal tender for amounts up to £5.

One provision in the Coinage Act 1933 in empowering the Minister of Finance to authorise the issue of tokens, “purporting to entitle the holder thereof to demand goods and services”, harks back to an earlier period. In parts of the country, tokens are used to pay for milk delivered at the gate, but this restricted use scarcely compares with the period from 1857 to 1881 when bronze and copper penny and halfpenny currency tokens were issued by New Zealand traders.

The Ottawa Mint sovereign is a British one pound coin (known as a sovereign) minted between 1908 and 1919 at the Ottawa Mint (known today as the Ottawa branch of the Royal Canadian Mint). This has augmented debate among Canadian numismatists because some view these pieces as Canadian while others view them as British and thus distinct from the decimal series of Canadian coinage. Since the opening of the Ottawa Mint, the Dominion of Canada’s government wanted to produce decimal gold coins. As it was a branch of the Royal Mint, it was obligated to mint sovereigns on request. When sovereigns were requested, it was usually for export causes.