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British Coin Denominations from Celtic Times to Date Click to return to Coin FAQsChard 24 Carat Home Page
Reverse of 1858 Penny
Reverse of 1858 Penny

British Coin Denominations
This list of British coin denominations includes a number of Roman denominations, as they were used in Britain when it was under the influence of Roman rule. Some first dates quoted may be approximate. If you spot any errors or improvements please let us know. I have not differentiated between issues of a denomination struck in different metals. For example, the florin is shown as having been first issued in 1344, when it was a gold coin. This may surprise those who have in mind the silver florin which entered circulation in 1849. I may at some later stage revise this list to show major changes in metal, however a thoroughly accurate listing would become slightly pedantic. Continuing with the florin example, it changed from a sterling silver coin after 1919, to become a debased silver coin with a 50% silver content, and after 1946, it was reduced to a silvery coloured cupro-nickel coin. The more observant will notice that I have not completed the "last date" column, this will follow shortly. Of course we could turn it into a competition. The first to complete the list, and advise me of the one deliberate error included in the table wins the nominal prize, an honorary mention and a pint. Non deliberate errors don't count towards the prize!

DenominationFirst DateFirst ReignLast DateValue £sd £.p 1/- d
angel1464Edward IV16426/8d 0.333 6/8d80
antoninianusroman------
argenteusroman------
asroman------
aureusroman------
britain crown1604James I1619----
britannia fifty pounds1987Elizabeth II-£50---
britannia one hundred pounds1987Elizabeth II-£100---
britannia ten pounds1987Elizabeth II-£10---
britannia twenty five pounds1987Elizabeth II-£25---
broad1656Commonwealth1656£1 1.00 20/-240
centenionalisroman------
crown1544Henry VIII19655/- 0.25 5/-60
crown1990Elizabeth II-£5 5.0 --
crown of the double rose1526Henry VIII15445/- 0.25 5/-60
crown of the rose1526Henry VIII15264/6d 0.225 -54

DenominationFirst DateFirst ReignLast DateValue £sd £.p 1/- d
denariusroman------
dinar774Offa774----
dollar1804George III18045/- 0.25 5/-60
double crown1604James I166210/- 0.50 10/-120
double florin1887Victoria18904/- 0.20 4/-48
double leopard1344Edward III13442/- 0.10 2/-24
double sovereign1504Henry VII1551£2 2.00 40/-480
dupondiusroman------
eight testerns1600Elizabeth I16018 reales---
eighteen pence1811George III18161/6d 0.075 1/6d18
elevenpence1644Charles I1645- 0.0458-11
farthing1279Edward I1956- 0.00104166-0.25
fifty new pence1969Elizabeth II1981- 0.50 10/-120
fifty pence1982Elizabeth II-- 0.50 10/-120
fifty shillings1656Commonwealth1656£2/10/- 2.50 50/-600
fine sovereign1550Edward VI1578£1/10/- 1.50 30/-360

DenominationFirst DateFirst ReignLast DateValue £sd £.p 1/- d
five guineas1668Charles II1777£5/5/- 5.25 105/-1260
five new pence1968Elizabeth II1981- 0.05 1/-12
five pence1982Elizabeth II-- 0.05 1/-12
five pounds1820George III-£5 5.00 100/-1200
five shillings1544Henry VIII19655/- 0.25 5/-60
five shillings and eightpence1644Charles I16455/8d 0.2833 5/8d68
florin1344Edward III1967*2/- 0.10 2/-24
follisroman------
four testerns1600Elizabeth I16014 reales---
fourpence1670Charles II18004d 0.0167 4d4
fourpence-halfpenny1559Elizabeth I15594.5d 0.0188 4.5d4.5
george noble1526Henry VIII15446/8d 0.3333 6/8d80
groat1279Edward I18884d 0.0167 4d4
guinea1663Charles II1813£1/1/- 1.05 21/-252
half angel (angelet)1471Edward IV16193/4d 0.1666 3/4d40

DenominationFirst DateFirst ReignLast DateValue £sd £.p 1/- d
half farthing1828George IV1856.125d 0.000520833-0.125
half florin1344Edward III13441/- 0.05 1/-12
half dollar1797George III18044/9 0.2375 4/957
half george noble1526Henry VIII15443/4d 0.1666 3/4d40
half guinea1669Charles II181310/6d 0.525 10/6d126
half laurel1619James I162510/- 0.50 10/-120
half new penny1971Elizabeth II1981- 0.005 19811.2
half noble1346Edward III14383/4d 0.3333 3/4d80
half pound1559Elizabeth I164610/- 0.50 10/-120
half ryal1464Edward IV14705/- 0.25 5/-60
half sovereign1544Henry VIII-10/- 0.50 10/-120
half unitcelticc. 10c. 61- ---
half unite1642Charles I164510/- 0.50 10/-120
halfcrown1526Henry VIII1967*2/6d 0.125 2/6d30
halfgroat1344Edward III16452d 0.0083 -2

DenominationFirst DateFirst ReignLast DateValue £sd £.p 1/- d
halfpenny886*Alfred the Great1967*- 0.0021 -0.5
helm1344Edward III13446d 0.025 6d6
laurel1619James I1625£1 1.00 20/-240
leopard1344Edward III13441/- 0.05 1/-12
new penny1971Elizabeth II1981- 0.01 19812.4
ninepence1645Charles I18129d 0.0375 9d9
noble1344Edward III14646/8d 0.3333 6/8d80
one new penny1971Elizabeth II1981- 0.01 19812.4
one pound1983Elizabeth II-£1 1.00 20/-240
one shilling and fourpence1644Charles I16451/4d 0.0667 1/4d16
one shilling and ninepence1644Charles I16451/9d 0.0875 1/9d21
one shilling and one penny1644Charles I16451/1d 0.0542 1/1d13
one shilling and sixpence1644Charles I16451/6d 0.075 1/6d18
one shilling and threepence1644Charles I16451/3d 0.0625 1/3d15

DenominationFirst DateFirst ReignLast DateValue £sd £.p 1/- d
one shilling and twopence1644Charles I16451/2d 0.0583 1/2d14
one testern1600Elizabeth I16011 real---
pennyanglo-saxon-1967*1d 0.0042 -1
penny (decimal)1982Elizabeth II-- 0.01-2.4
pound1578Elizabeth I-£1 1.00 20/-240
quadransroman------
quarter angel1578Elizabeth I16001/8d 0.0792 1/8d20
quarter farthing1839Victoria1853.0625d 0.0002604166-0.0625
quarter florin1344Edward III13446d 0.025 6d6
quarter guinea1718George I17625/3d 0.2625 5/3d63
quarter laurel1619James I16255/- 0.25 5/-60
quarter noble1344Edward III14641/8d 0.0792 1/8d20
quarter ryal1464Edward IV14702/6d 0.125 2/6d30
quarter sovereign2009Elizabeth II-5/- 0.25 5/-60
quarter statercelticc. 20BCc. 61----
quarter unitcelticc. 20BCc. 61- ---

DenominationFirst DateFirst ReignLast DateValue £sd £.p 1/- d
quinariusroman------
rose ryal1604James I1625£1/10/- 1.50 30/-360
ryal (rose noble)1464Edward IV160010/- 0.50 10/-120
sceatsaxon-900----
semisroman------
sestertiusroman------
sevenpence1644Charles I1645-0.029177d7
shilling1548Henry VIII1967*1/- 0.05 1/-12
siliquaroman------
sixpence1550Edward VI1967*6d 0.025 6d6
solidusroman-854----
sovereign1489Henry VII-£1 1.00 20/-240
spur ryal1604James I162515/- 0.75 15/-180
staterceltic-c. 61----
ten new pence1968Elizabeth II1981- 0.10 2/-24

DenominationFirst DateFirst ReignLast DateValue £sd £.p 1/- d
ten shillings1648Charles I164810/- 0.50 10/-120
tenpence1644Charles I1645- 0.041710d10
tenpence1982Elizabeth II-- 0.10 2/-24
testoon1487Henry VII15511/- 0.05 1/-12
third farthing1827George IV1913.0833d0.0003422-0.0833
third guinea1797George III18136/8d 0.35 7/-84
thistle crown1604James I16194/- 0.20 4/-48
three shillings1644Charles I18163/- 0.15 3/-36
three shillings and fourpence1644Charles I16453/4- 0.1667 3/4d40
threefarthings1561Elizabeth I1582.75d 0.0031 -0.75
threehalfpence1578Elizabeth I18621.5d 0.0063 -1.5
threepence - brass1937George VI1967*3d 0.0125 3d3
threepence - silver1551Edward VI19443d 0.0125 3d3
thrymsasaxon-c. 775----
treble sovereign1504Henry VII1509£3 3.00 60/-720
triple unite1642Charles I1644£3 3.00 60/-720

DenominationFirst DateFirst ReignLast DateValue £sd £.p 1/- d
twenty five new pence1972Elizabeth II19815/- 0.25 5/-60
twenty pence1257Henry III12571/8 0.0833 1/8d20
twenty pence1982Elizabeth II-4/- 0.20 4/-48
two guineas1664Charles II1777£2/2/- 2.10 42/-504
two new pence1971Elizabeth II1981- 0.02 -4.8
two pounds1820George III-£2 2.00 40/-480
two shillings and fourpence 1644Charles I16452/4d 0.1167 2/4d28
two shillings and tenpence 1644Charles I16452/10d 0.1417 2/10d34
two shillings and twopence1644Charles I16452/2d 0.1083 2/2d26
two testerns1600Elizabeth I16012 reales---
twopence1660Charles II17972d 0.0083 2d2
twopence-farthing1559Elizabeth I15592.25d 0.0094 2.25d2.25
unite1604James I1662£1 1.00 20/-240

Notes
886* The previous earliest halfpenny was for Alfred the Great, but one has since been recorded for Ceolwolf, dating it between 875 to 880.
1967* Although the last date for these pre-decimal coins was 1967, a proof set was struck to commemorate the old £sd currency, containing coins dated 1970. These were only issued in the proof set for sale to collectors.
Maundy coins of fourpence, threepence, twopence and one penny are still produced annually, for presentation in the Maundy ceremony.

Finally...
For those not familiar with pre-decimal coins and monetary notation, values in pounds shillings and pence (£.s.d) were written in several ways. Five guineas which was 5 pounds and five shillings, was written 5 Gns, or £5/5/-, sometimes expressed as shillings, 105/-. Shillings and pence amounts were written 5/10 or 5/10d, and if halfpennies or farthings were present, then they would be shown as £15/12/23/4, meaning 15 pounds, 12 shillings, 2 pence, and 3 farthings.
The symbols £ meaning pound is from the latin libra meaning pound; s is not for shilling but for solidus, and d is for denarius.
A strange corruption has befallen the English language since decimalisation. The d for penny or pence was always pronounced as "penny" or "pence", but now the p for penny is commonly called "pea" rather than penny or pence. During the changeover period of decimalisation, this was reasonably understandable, although the new pennies were called "new penny" or "new pence" as they had a different value from the old penny, so there was no need to further differentiate. Since the old pennies were withdrawn in February 1971, there have been almost 30 years to adjust.
There were of course 20 shillings to the pound, twelve pence to the shilling, and therefore 240 pence to the pound.

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