By the start of the reign of king George IV (1820-1830) the coin was being struck primarily as a Maundy coin, although some coins were struck for use in the colonies. In Grace Lin's young adult novel When the Sea Turned To Silver, the line between folklore and reality is blurred. It was worth 1/80th of a pound, or of a shilling. For the building in south London, see, VICTORIA DEI GRA BRITT REGINA FID DEF IND IMP, EDWARDVS VII D G BRITT OMN REX F D IND IMP, ELIZABETH II DEI GRA BRITT OMN REGINA F D, October 2019 sale of 120,000 threepences, Learn how and when to remove this template message, pound divided into 20 shillings, each of 12 pence, "U.K. to Replace 1-Pound Coin With Secure 12-Edged Design", "1 million worth of 'thruppences' to be sold to stop coin collecting dying out", Threepence (Circulating), Coin Type from United Kingdom - Online Coin Club, List of people on coins of the United Kingdom, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Threepence_(British_coin)&oldid=1144546411, Pre-decimalisation coins of the United Kingdom, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from July 2007, All articles needing additional references, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2020, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2021, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 14 March 2023, at 08:52. We have noticed that many recent writers claim that they were called thrupences. . Its incredibly hard to state with certainty which threepence is the rarest due to the many years that they were produced for Maundy sets, however, there is one particular year that stands out. [citation needed]. Former coin of the United Kingdom and other territories, "Threepenny bit" redirects here. This was followed by the dated issue, issued each year from 1670 to 1684, where the obverse features a right-facing uncrowned bust of the king and the inscription CAROLVS II DEI GRATIA, with the reverse showing three crowned interlinked "C"s (indicating the value) and the inscription MAG BR FRA ET HIB REX date. Expired coins pre-dating the 1971 decimalisation system have become a popular niche for coin collectors throughout the UK and beyond, It was worth 1/80th of a pound, or of a, While older incarnations of the coin used a plain edge, the threepence of. The nickel-brass threepence took over the bulk of the production of the denomination, being produced in all years between 1937 and 1952 except 1947. The new coin was designed to be more difficult to counterfeit. Little Brown, 2016. EF graded coins from each year can fetch up to 20. Obverse, Uncrowned portrait of George VI facing left, legend reads 'GEORGIVS VI D:G:BR:OMN:REX' meaning 'George the Sixth by the Grace of God King of all the Britains.' There was also a fairly rare milled coinage threepence, produced between 1561 and 1564 with similar designs and inscriptions to the hammered coinage threepences. Wiki User. At first the coins had sharp corners, but during 1941 a more rounded collar was used, as failure of the collars was occurring too frequently. It was first minted in the reign of Henry VIIas the testoon, and became known as the shilling, from the Old Englishscilling,[1]sometime in the mid-16th century. It features a left-facing crowned bust of the king with the numeral III behind him, with the legend CAROLUS D G MA BR F ET H RE, with the reverse showing the royal arms on a shield with the date 1644 above the shield, and the legend CHRISTO AUSPICE REGNO. Milled coins were produced at the York mint between 1638 and 1649, which look similar to the Aberystwyth product but without the plumes the obverse features a left-facing crowned bust of the king with the numeral III behind him, with the legend CAROLUS D G MAG BR FR ET HI REX, with the reverse showing the royal arms on a shield over a cross, with EBOR over the shield and the legend CHRISTO AUSPICE REGNO. These were for Maundy money only. The obverse shows a left-facing effigy of the king with the inscription EDWARDVS VIII D G BR OMN REX F D, and the reverse shows a three-headed 'thrift' plant with the inscription THREE PENCE 1937. The milled silver threepences of Charles II form two types. Unlike some of the larger denominations . A similar threepence was produced for King James II, dated 1685 to 1688, the obverse showing a left-facing bust of the king and the inscription IACOBVS II DEI GRATIA, with the reverse showing three crowned "I"s (indicating the value) and the inscription MAG BR FRA ET HIB REX date. Coins were produced at the Oxford mint between 1644 and 1646, using the Aberystwyth dies for the obverse, while the reverse of the 1644 coin shows the Declaration of Oxford in three lines: RELI PRO LEG ANG LIB PAR. The obverse inscription reads GEORGIUS IIII D G BRITANNIAR REX F D, while the reverse shows a new-style crowned "3" and date, all within a wreath. In 1644 the Exeter mint produced a fairly scarce threepence. The milled silver threepences of Charles II form two types. The old penny and threepence coins ceased to be legal tender on 31st August 1971, just over six months after D-day. Threepences of the fourth coinage (15781582) are identical except for having a slightly lower silver content. The reverse shows a long cross over the royal shield, surrounded by the legend (London mint) POSUI DEUM ADIUTOREM MEUM (I have made God my helper), or (York mint) CIVITAS EBORACI (City of York). Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Told in past tense, it focuses on the protagonist Pinmei, who lived in a small mountain village with her storytelling grandmother until one night when the emperor . In the reign of Queen Anne (1701-1714), the same basic design was used, with threepences produced in 1703-1710 and 1713. The threepence pieces become increasingly difficult to find as you go back through the 18th, 17th, and 16th centuries. There had been a severe debasement of the silver coinage under his father Henry VIII, which had continued in the early years of Edward's reign. The denomination is identified by the numeral III appearing behind the king's head. Despite being in circulation for only a little over half a decade, the Victoria Jubilee Head coin is worth very little due to its large mintage. This coin was produced in all years from 1953 to 1967, and in 1970 (in proof sets only). 1644 Oxford, while around the outside of the coin is the legend EXURGAT DEUS DISSIPENTUR INIMICI Let God arise and His enemies be scattered. The obverse shows a left-facing effigy of the king with the inscription GEORGIVS VI D G BR OMN REX, while the reverse has an elegant design of a shield of St George lying on a Tudor rose, dividing the date, with the inscription FID DEF IND IMP THREE PENCE. There are two types of Edward VIII brass threepences. The British threepence piece, usually simply known as a threepence, thruppence, or thruppenny bit, was a denomination of sterling coinage worth .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}180 of one pound or 14 of one shilling. It was called a tickey in South Africa[6] and Southern Rhodesia.[7]. The reverse inscription reads MAG BRI FR ET HIB REX date up to 1800 and BRITANNIARUM REX FID DEF date from 1817. This was followed by the dated issue, issued each year from 1670 to 1684, where the obverse features a right-facing uncrowned bust of the king and the inscription CAROLVS II DEI GRATIA, with the reverse showing three crowned interlinked "C"s (indicating the value) and the inscription MAG BR FRA ET HIB REX date. Current policy on British coins as legal tender is - 20 pence pieces, 25 pence coins and 50 pence pieces are legal tender in amounts up to 10 pounds; 5 pence pieces and 10 pence pieces are legal . The obverse shows a left-facing effigy of the king[4] (not right as would have been the convention to alternate the direction) with the inscription EDWARDVS VIII D G BR OMN REX F D IND IMP, and the reverse shows a three-headed thrift plant with the inscription THREE PENCE 1937. This page would not be complete without telling you that a common "nickname" for the silver threepence was a "Joey", although we have also heard this used for the silver groat or fourpence. The obverse shows a left-facing bust of the Queen, with the inscription ANNA DEI GRATIA while the reverse shows the crowned "3" and MAG BR FR ET HIB REG date (170305, 1707), MAG BR FRA ET HIB REG (1706), or MAG BRI FR ET HIB REG (170813). During the reign of King George VI, circulation silver threepences were produced only in 19371945 (and almost all the 1945 examples were subsequently melted down). I was being slightly facetious with my comments, the first silverthreepencesdid have a rose by the side of the portrait, but then so did the corresponding sixpence. . 1644 Oxford, while around the outside of the coin is the legend EXURGAT DEUS DISSIPENTUR INIMICI -- Let God arise and His enemies be scattered. By the start of the reign of King George IV (182030) the coin was being struck primarily as a Maundy coin, although some coins were produced for use in the colonies. reign was inscribed with ELIZABETH II DEI GRA BRITT OMN REGINA F D in 1953, and subsequently used ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA F D until they ceased production in 1970. Threepences were struck in all years from 1822 to 1830, though the king's head is smaller on the 1822 issue, apparently because the correct punch broke and the one from the twopence was used instead. This coin also appears dated 1646. All milled silver threepences were 17 millimetres in diameter and weighed 1.5 grams dimensions which were unchanged until near the end of the reign of George III. The obverse inscription reads GEORGIUS IIII D G BRITANNIAR REX F D, while the reverse shows a new-style crowned "3" and date, all within a wreath. Type 1 (1911-1920) contains 0.925 silver, Type 2 (1920-1926) contains 0.5 silver, Type 3 (1926) carries a modified obverse image, and Type 4 (1927-1936) has a New Oak Sprig reverse. Evaluate Your Coin with Confidence! Coins were produced at the Oxford mint between 1644 and 1646, using the Aberystwyth dies for the obverse, while the reverse of the 1644 coin shows the Declaration of Oxford in three lines: RELI PRO LEG ANG LIB PAR. By the end of George V's reign the threepence had become unpopular in England because of its small size (George Orwell comments on this in Keep the Aspidistra Flying[3]), but it remained popular in Scotland. Following decimalisation, the brass threepence ceased to be legal tender after 31 August 1971. FD. The new silver threepence design was a shield bearing St. George's cross in the centre of a rose and was issued in 0.500 silver. In the first two years of minting, 1762 and 1763, the coin was obviously produced for general circulation as examples are generally found well worn; on the other hand, coins from the late issue (181720) are usually found in very fine condition, indicating that they were probably issued as Maundy money. Types sets of all three portraits of the Queen Victoria threepences are often sold and are popular with collectors. Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the contents in any form is prohibited. The coin, albeit in several incarnations, remained in circulation right up until the decimalisation system came into effect. The immediate ancestor to the groat was the French gros tournois or groat of Tours, which was known as the groot (Dutch for . A total of just 12 of these coins were struck for experimental purposes and sent to a slot machine manufacturing company for testing. In the reign of Queen Anne (17021714), the same basic design was used, with threepences produced in 170310 and 1713. . The Edward VIII era saw the planned introduction of a new, larger, nickel-brass (79% copper, 20% zinc, 1% nickel) twelve-sided threepence coin. Threepences were issued in 1762-3, 1765-6, 1770, 1772, 1780, 1784, 1786, 1792, 1795, 1800, 1817, 1818, and 1820. This could have been with awareness of Australian usage, but: One example of joey = 4d is in "Undercurrents Overlooked, Volume 1" by Mrs. Wm. The currency threepence was issued for each of the nine years of the reign of King Edward VII from 1902. The threepence[1] or threepenny bit[2] was a denomination of currency used by various jurisdictions in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, valued at 1/80 of a pound or .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}14 of a shilling until decimalisation of the pound sterling and Irish pound in 1971. They depict an IND IMP and are worth 240 at the EF grading. Threepences of the fourth coinage (1578-1582) are identical except for having a slightly lower silver content. See Maundy money for full details of these issues. Circulation issue groats had the Britannia reverse; Maundy Groats did not." It was easy to see in change as it was yellow in appearance, and the multiple sides stood out as well as it being quite chunky unlike the small silver threepence. It was first minted in 1551, during the reign of Edward VI, and circulated until 1980. Currency silver threepences from 1838 to 1926 were of identical design and cannot usually be distinguished except in the best conditions when the higher striking standard of the maundy coins stand out; this resulted in the curious legal anomaly that when the currency was decimalised in 1971 all silver threepences from 1870 onwards were revalued at three new pence, not just the maundy coins. In King William IV's reign (18301837), maundy coins were produced in 183137, and identical circulation coins were produced for the colonies, identifiable only through not having a prooflike surface. A three pence coin was also used in the pre-decimalisation currencies of Commonwealth of Nations countries such as Fiji, Australia, and New Zealand. ), and therefore nicknamed these coins "Joeys" in derision (a reference to Joseph Hume) -- we know them as "Britannia Groats". The first type has the date broken by a thrift plant design and the second has the date below. For the sole reign of William III the design remained very similar, with the inscriptions changed to GVLIELMVS III DEI GRA and MAG BR FR ET HIB REX date. The three pence coin expressed in writing as "3d" first appeared in England during the fine silver coinage of King Edward VI (154753), when it formed part of a set of new denominations. "ten-bob note". The withdrawal of the florin, the last of the sd coins to be used daily . Threepence coins issued in 1954 circulated for 17 years until "Decimal Day", 15 February 1971, and ceased to be legal tender after 31 August 1971. Best Answer Copy The British brass threepence ceased to be legal tender after 31 August 1971, following decimalisation. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Edward VI threepences were struck at the London and York mints. for each specimen. If you were looking to sell a threepence to a collector the value goes up substantially, and you can simply take the estimated values above and convert them to dollars. The obverse inscription reads GEORGIUS IIII D G BRITANNIAR REX F D, while the reverse shows a new style crowned "3" and date, all within a wreath. For the first two years a somewhat caricatured portrait of the monarchs was used, replaced by a rather more staid portrait in 1691, with the inscription GVLIELMVS ET MARIA D G, while the reverse shows a crowned Arabic number "3" and the inscription MAG BR FR ET HIB REX ET REGINA date. The design continued in the reign of George I, when threepences were produced in 1717, 1721, 1723, and 1727. The last currency threepence's issued were dated 1967. This was repeated in 1645, but with a plumelet instead of a plume in front of the king's face. While the Type 1 threepence of the George VI reign was minted from 1937 through to 1948, its the 1946 minted coins that are most noteworthy, partly due to no minting in 1947. No. The sum of three pence was pronounced variously /rpns/ THRUUP-nss, /rpns/ THREP-nss or /rpns/ THRUP-nss, reflecting different pronunciations in the various regions of the United Kingdom. He was left inside the world to grow, so that when he broke free he could take over the world and eat all its children. Threepence pieces from the short reign of Edward VII are valued at just 2, although those minted in 1904 and 1906 are valued at 3. It may surprise most people to learn that silverthreepencesare still issued in the present day, but as we have mentioned, the four denominations of Maundycoins are all still struckannually for the Royal Maundy ceremony. A further type produced at Oxford had on the obverse the kings' bust with the denomination behind him, and the letter "R" (for Rawlins, the maker of the die) below the king's shoulder and the legend CAROLUS D G M BR F ET H REX and the Aberystwyth reverse. The Maundy coinage has always been silver. * However, a factor of 1.5 or less was NOT enough, especially as sometimes coins got "clipped", to steal some silver from them. IND: IMP: Coin Inscription, 12. A three pence coin was also used in the pre-decimalisation currencies of Commonwealth of Nations countries such as Fiji, Australia, and New Zealand. In style they are very reminiscent of his father's issues, the obverse featuring the bust of the king, with the numeral III and the legend CAROLUS II D G MAG BRI F ET H REX, with the reverse showing the royal arms on a shield over a cross, and the legend CHRISTO AUSPICE REGNO. George VI Type 2 threepence coins in subsequent years up to 1952 are not worth very much but offer a cheap solution to boost a collection with the George VI depicted nickel-brass coin. The final hammered coinage threepences were produced at the start of the reign of King Charles II. These coins are identifiable from other denominations by the rose behind the queen's head on the obverse, and the date on the reverse. Get your evaluation quick! Even to this day, the silver threepences produced each year for the Maundy ceremony still retain the old crowned "3" as their reverse design. From 1817 the dimensions of the coin were reduced to a weight of 1.4grams and diameter of 16 millimetres, following the Great Recoinage of 1816. The first one sold in 1970 for 260 and the second one was sold in March 2020 by Baldwins of St. Jamess auction and fetched a hammer price of 50,000, wow! This isn't quite true: * People could tell the difference (by size and weight) between penny, twopence and fourpence. This was carried over to that of George VI following the abdication. Threepences were produced with both the "young head" (18381887) and "Jubilee head" (18871893), inscribed VICTORIA D G BRITANNIAR REGINA F D, while those produced with the "old head" (18931901) are inscribed VICTORIA DEI GRA BRITT REGINA FID DEF IND IMP. It was considered too fiddly to handle. The three pence coin expressed in writing as "3d" first appeared in England during the fine silver coinage of King Edward VI (15471553), when it formed part of a set of new denominations. The silver coinage was issued with a silver content of 92.5%, known as sterling silver, until 1920. . Some years, like 1847 and 1848, are considered extremely rare and could fetch a four-figure sum if they feature high-quality grading. However, the other six are still out there somewhere and, as such, they are extremely rare today. The obverse inscription reads GULIELMUS IIII D G BRITANNIAR REX F D, while the reverse shows the new style crowned "3" and date, all within a wreath. Threepences were produced with both the "young head" (1838-1887) and "Jubilee head" (1887-1893), inscribed VICTORIA D G BRITANNIAR REGINA F D, while those produced with the "old head" (1893-1901) which are VICTORIA DEI GRA BRITT REGINA FID DEF IND IMP. Unusually the same young portrait of king George II was used on the threepence throughout his reign (1727-60), despite an older portrait being used on other denominations from 1743. Chard (1964) Ltd32-36 HarrowsideBlackpoolLancashireFY4 1RJSatNav Postcode: FY4 1LY, Company No: 01378220VAT No: GB 157 0712 74, King Stephen and Empress Matilda (1135 - 1154), King James I (Scotland 1567 - 1625) & (England 1603 - 1625), The Commonwealth of England (1649 - 1660), King James II of England & VII of Scotland (1685 - 1688), King William III (1688 - 1702) and Queen Mary II (1688 - 1694), The Coins of Queen Victoria - Young Head Portrait, The Coins of Queen Victoria - The Gothic Portrait, The Coins of Queen Victoria - The Jubilee Head Portrait, The Coins of Queen Victoria - The Old Head Portrait, Elizabeth II - The Sapphire Jubilee Crown, British Coin Denominations from Roman Times to Date, Common Names of British Coin Denominations, The Story of the Florin or Two Shilling Piece, Introducing the New 12 Sided One Pound Coin. While it would take a lifetime to discuss the designs of every year from each monarchs reign, here are some of the most significant threepence pieces from its four-century history, with a particular emphasis on the 19th and 20th centuries. The design continued in the reign of King George I, when threepences were produced in 1717, 1721, 1723, and 1727. Depending on the exchange rate at any given time, a threepence in todays money would be the equivalent of just under 2 cents. Threepence coins had a lot of nicknames during their time, and these included terms such as thruppenny bit and thruppence. Although it was an easy denomination to work with in the context of the old sterling coinage system, being a quarter of a shilling, initially it was not popular with the public who preferred the groat (four pence). Reverses, the classic crowned 3 divides date with oak wreath surrounding. It was also used in some parts of the British Empire (later known as the Commonwealth), notably Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The silver three pence coin (expressed in writing as "3d") first appeared in England during the reign of King Edward VI (1547-1553). Baby kangaroos, known as joeys, are remarkably small. The first type has the date broken by a thrift plant design and the second has the date below. Currency silver threepences from 1838 to 1926 were of identical design and cannot usually be distinguished except in the best conditions when the higher striking standard of the maundy coins stand out; this resulted in the curious legal anomaly that when the currency was decimalised in 1971 all silver threepences from 1870 onwards were revalued at three new pence, not just the maundy coins. . The value of the threepenny fluctuates greatly from one era to the next due partly to varying interest levels from collectors and in part due to the maundy money versus general circulation. 2010-10-02 03:07:05. There is the undated issue which looks very like the earlier hammered coinage, with a crowned left-facing bust of the king with the denomination indicated by III behind his head, and the inscription CAROLVS II D G M B F & H REX, with the reverse showing a shield encircling the arms of England, Scotland, Ireland and France with the legend CHRISTO AUSPICE REGNO. During the reign of Queen Victoria, threepences were produced both for Maundy use and for normal circulation in all years between 1838 and 1901 except 1847, 1848, and 1852 (perhaps because of the proposal for a decimal currency at the time (see florin); the 3d at 180 pound would not have fitted within a decimal system). No. The silver threepence continued to be minted, as there may have been some uncertainty about how well the new coin would be accepted. 1945 dated coins were struck but were supposed to have been melted down for the silver before issue. The reverse inscription reads MAG BRI FR ET HIB REX date up to 1800 and BRITANNIARUM REX FID DEF date from 1817. The threepence, which is often expressed as 3d, is a coin that first entered circulation in the mid-16th century during the era of King Edward VI. In 1937 a new design was introduced for the threepence of George VI. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Over the length of the reign there were several different designs of obverse and reverse in use. The silver threepenny bit became known as a 'joey'. [5] Coins dated 1946 and 1949 were minted in far fewer numbers than the rest, and as nickel-brass wears very quickly, higher grade specimens of these coins are expensive to buy now (both over 500 for uncirculated examples). In the first two years of minting the coin, 1762 and 1763, it was obviously produced for general circulation as these coins are generally found well worn; on the other hand, coins from the late issue (1817-20) are usually found in very fine condition, indicating that they were probably issued as Maundy money. [8][9], In October 2019, it was announced that 120,000 silver threepences dated to 1935 and earlier were to be sold to the general public, as part of a move to encourage people to pick up coin collecting and numismatics.