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British Coin Denominations Part 1
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!
Denominations
It is not possible for us to format this table to display properly as eBay do not permit us to use HTML table formatiing commands.
Denomination First Date First Reign Last Date Value £sd £.p 1/- d
angel 1464 Edward IV 1642 6/8d 0.333 6/8d 80
antoninianus roman - - - - - -
argenteus roman - - - - - -
as roman - - - - - -
aureus roman - - - - - -
britain crown 1604 James I 1619 - - - -
britannia fifty pounds 1987 Elizabeth II - £50 - - -
britannia one hundred pounds 1987 Elizabeth II - £100 - - -
britannia ten pounds 1987 Elizabeth II - £10 - - -
britannia twenty five pounds 1987 Elizabeth II - £25 - - -
broad 1656 Commonwealth 1656 £1 1.00 20/- 240
centenionalis roman - - - - - -
crown 1544 Henry VIII 1965 5/- 0.25 5/ - 60
crown 1990 Elizabeth II - £5 5.0 - -
crown of the double rose 1526 Henry VIII 1544 5/- 0.25 5/- 60
crown of the rose 1526 Henry VIII 1526 4/6d 0.225 - 54
Table Formatting
We guess eBay disallow HTML tags, so that nobody can use outside links in their guides, but there other, more flexible and intelligent, ways they could check these, or they could just recognise that there is a whole other world out there called the internet. In any case, it makes it a pain in the backside trying to get even a brief table such as the one above to format correctly. The version on our website is much clearer, with each entry in its own ruled cell, and all the columns aligning properly, and all the rows also. Instead of being able to copy and paste it, we have to play aabout for ages using tabs and spaces, and then it still does not display properly because their guides editor is not WYSIWYG, sorry about that!
Our original web page version of this guide contains 9 tables, and also has many appropriate links to other more complete information pages about individual denominations. eBay do not permit these links on their site.
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.
About the Author
Lawrence Chard is a director of Chard Coins of Blackpool, England, and has over 42 years experience in numismatic and bullion coins.
Chard have maintained a dealing service for both collectors and investors in bullion and numismatic coins. During the period from 1965 to 1971, we were one of only a small number of dealers who were granted a dealers licence.
Copyright
All our images and text are copyright.
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Gold Bullion Bars For Investment
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!
Denominations
It is not possible for us to format this table to display properly as eBay do not permit us to use HTML table formatiing commands.
Denomination First Date First Reign Last Date Value £sd £.p 1/- d
angel 1464 Edward IV 1642 6/8d 0.333 6/8d 80
antoninianus roman - - - - - -
argenteus roman - - - - - -
as roman - - - - - -
aureus roman - - - - - -
britain crown 1604 James I 1619 - - - -
britannia fifty pounds 1987 Elizabeth II - £50 - - -
britannia one hundred pounds 1987 Elizabeth II - £100 - - -
britannia ten pounds 1987 Elizabeth II - £10 - - -
britannia twenty five pounds 1987 Elizabeth II - £25 - - -
broad 1656 Commonwealth 1656 £1 1.00 20/- 240
centenionalis roman - - - - - -
crown 1544 Henry VIII 1965 5/- 0.25 5/ - 60
crown 1990 Elizabeth II - £5 5.0 - -
crown of the double rose 1526 Henry VIII 1544 5/- 0.25 5/- 60
crown of the rose 1526 Henry VIII 1526 4/6d 0.225 - 54
Table Formatting
We guess eBay disallow HTML tags, so that nobody can use outside links in their guides, but there other, more flexible and intelligent, ways they could check these, or they could just recognise that there is a whole other world out there called the internet. In any case, it makes it a pain in the backside trying to get even a brief table such as the one above to format correctly. The version on our website is much clearer, with each entry in its own ruled cell, and all the columns aligning properly, and all the rows also. Instead of being able to copy and paste it, we have to play aabout for ages using tabs and spaces, and then it still does not display properly because their guides editor is not WYSIWYG, sorry about that!
Our original web page version of this guide contains 9 tables, and also has many appropriate links to other more complete information pages about individual denominations. eBay do not permit these links on their site.
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.
About the Author
Lawrence Chard is a director of Chard Coins of Blackpool, England, and has over 42 years experience in numismatic and bullion coins.
Chard have maintained a dealing service for both collectors and investors in bullion and numismatic coins. During the period from 1965 to 1971, we were one of only a small number of dealers who were granted a dealers licence.
Copyright
All our images and text are copyright.
Was This Guide Useful?
If you found this guide interesting, informative or useful, please spare few seconds of your time to vote for it by clicking on the "Yes" button below, thanks.
Other Guides
You may be interested in viewing our other guides:-
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Guide created: 09/16/06 (updated 12/22/07)
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