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British Sterling Currency - Numismatics,
Thru'pence
For Reference ONLY
Everything For The Detectorist
Edward VIII 1831-1837 AD
This Coin Note covers another favourite British coin, the Brass Threepence, minted for some 30 or so years, between 1937 and 1970. Coming after four centuries of silver threepence coins, this was the last and very different threepence design prior to the eventual demonetisation of the value in 1971. The new coin design originated from the brief reign of Edward VIII, but it was not until the reign of King George VI that it became legal tender and entered everyday circulation.
Strictly speaking the metal of this coin is Nickel-Brass rather than normal brass, being an alloy of 79% copper, 20% zinc & 1% nickel. The new ‘threepenny bit’ was the first British coin to be made from this gold coloured alloy and was also the first noncircular coin to be introduced into our coinage. Having 12 sides, it was dodecagonal in shape, with a diameter of 21mm across the flats and an eventual weight of 6.8g.
The first threepence coins to appear in British coinage came during the latter part of the reign of Edward VI in (1547 - 1553) as a small circular coin minted in silver, equivalent to a quarter of a shilling and weighing only around 1.5g. The silver threepence continued to be minted (although intermittently) through four centuries until the 1930s. By this time however, and in London in particular, the small size of the coin had become unpopular, whilst at the same time the equivalent three bronze pennies were too heavy and cumbersome should the existing coin be discontinued without replacement. This was the situation that prompted the creation of the new brass threepence; a coin design originally planned for introduction into the coinage of King Edward VIII.
However, despite the unpopularity of the existing silver threepence, it surprisingly was not discontinued until some years after the introduction of the new brass threepence. Consequently, between the years of 1937 and 1945 both styles of threepence coin were minted and issued into circulation as legal tender. The 1945 silver threepences were however recalled shortly after release and melted down so that only a few of the original 400,000 survived, thus making it a very scarce coin. After 1945 only brass threepences continued to be issued into circulation, (although the silver threepence is still minted for issue in the special ceremonial Maundy coin sets to this day).
The name “threepence” was pronounced differently across the country, being variously called a ‘thruppence’, ‘throopence’, ‘threppence’ ‘thruppnee bit’, ‘throopnee bit, or ‘threppnee bit.’ Some people also remember the term ‘joey’ being used. However this name was actually more closely associated with the silver threepence coin and more correctly originated as a nick-name for the Groat, last produced in 1888 and equivalent to four pennies. (The term ‘joey’ was an association to Joseph Hume (1777 - 1855) who was an government authority on finance during the early the 19th century.) The value of the threepence was indicated as “ 3d ” when appearing in text.
The threepences of king Edward VIII were all patterns awaiting royal approval at the time of the abdication in December 1936. The silver threepence had another completely new reverse - three interlinked rings of Saint Edmund, with the inscription FID DEF IND IMP 1937 THREE PENCE, while the obverse shows a left-facing effigy of the king with the inscription EDWARDVS VIII D G BR OMN REX and a very small silver engravement. One of only ten ever made: An incredibly rare coin bearing the head of King Edward VIII which was made before he famously abdicated and has emerged for sale for £30,000 (2013).
Note: Many copies were reproduced in China for the markets and spread widely, do check the background of a coin before purchase.
This Coin Note covers another favourite British coin, the Brass Threepence, minted for some 30 or so years, between 1937 and 1970. Coming after four centuries of silver threepence coins, this was the last and very different threepence design prior to the eventual demonetisation of the value in 1971. The new coin design originated from the brief reign of Edward VIII, but it was not until the reign of King George VI that it became legal tender and entered everyday circulation.
Strictly speaking the metal of this coin is Nickel-Brass rather than normal brass, being an alloy of 79% copper, 20% zinc & 1% nickel. The new ‘threepenny bit’ was the first British coin to be made from this gold coloured alloy and was also the first noncircular coin to be introduced into our coinage. Having 12 sides, it was dodecagonal in shape, with a diameter of 21mm across the flats and an eventual weight of 6.8g.
The first threepence coins to appear in British coinage came during the latter part of the reign of Edward VI in (1547 - 1553) as a small circular coin minted in silver, equivalent to a quarter of a shilling and weighing only around 1.5g. The silver threepence continued to be minted (although intermittently) through four centuries until the 1930s. By this time however, and in London in particular, the small size of the coin had become unpopular, whilst at the same time the equivalent three bronze pennies were too heavy and cumbersome should the existing coin be discontinued without replacement. This was the situation that prompted the creation of the new brass threepence; a coin design originally planned for introduction into the coinage of King Edward VIII.
However, despite the unpopularity of the existing silver threepence, it surprisingly was not discontinued until some years after the introduction of the new brass threepence. Consequently, between the years of 1937 and 1945 both styles of threepence coin were minted and issued into circulation as legal tender. The 1945 silver threepences were however recalled shortly after release and melted down so that only a few of the original 400,000 survived, thus making it a very scarce coin. After 1945 only brass threepences continued to be issued into circulation, (although the silver threepence is still minted for issue in the special ceremonial Maundy coin sets to this day).
The name “threepence” was pronounced differently across the country, being variously called a ‘thruppence’, ‘throopence’, ‘threppence’ ‘thruppnee bit’, ‘throopnee bit, or ‘threppnee bit.’ Some people also remember the term ‘joey’ being used. However this name was actually more closely associated with the silver threepence coin and more correctly originated as a nick-name for the Groat, last produced in 1888 and equivalent to four pennies. (The term ‘joey’ was an association to Joseph Hume (1777 - 1855) who was an government authority on finance during the early the 19th century.) The value of the threepence was indicated as “ 3d ” when appearing in text.
The threepences of king Edward VIII were all patterns awaiting royal approval at the time of the abdication in December 1936. The silver threepence had another completely new reverse - three interlinked rings of Saint Edmund, with the inscription FID DEF IND IMP 1937 THREE PENCE, while the obverse shows a left-facing effigy of the king with the inscription EDWARDVS VIII D G BR OMN REX and a very small silver engravement. One of only ten ever made: An incredibly rare coin bearing the head of King Edward VIII which was made before he famously abdicated and has emerged for sale for £30,000 (2013).
Note: Many copies were reproduced in China for the markets and spread widely, do check the background of a coin before purchase.
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