The obverse shows a right-facing bust of the King, with the inscription GEORGIVS DEI GRATIA while the reverse shows the crowned "3" and MAG BRI FR ET HIB REX date. This coin weighed 6.6 grams and the diameter was 21 mm across the sides and 22 mm across the corners. . The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Threepences were issued in 1762-3, 1765-6, 1770, 1772, 1780, 1784, 1786, 1792, 1795, 1800, 1817, 1818, and 1820. 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). The circulated three pence and the three pence given out at the Maundy ceremonies were the same design. Before Decimal Day in 1971, sterling used the Carolingian monetary system, under which the largest unit was a pound divided into 20 shillings, each of 12 pence. 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. The currency threepence was issued for each of the nine years of the reign of King Edward VII from 1902. For the joint reign of William and Mary, threepences were produced in all years from 1689 to 1694. The old pennies quickly went out of use after Decimal Day, 15 February 1971there was no exact decimal equivalent of them, and the slogan "use your old pennies in sixpenny lots" explained that pennies and "threepenny bits" were only accepted in shops if their total value was six old pence (exactly 212 new pence). It was one of the most recognized coins of the pre-decimal English coinage system. Unusually, the same young portrait of King George II was used on the threepence throughout his reign (172760), despite an older portrait being used on other denominations from 1743. In March 2014, the Royal Mint announced that a new design of one pound coin would be introduced in 2017, reprising the twelve-sided shape. for each specimen. Unlike some of the larger denominations, they were not re-denominated to a decimal value when the decimal Pound Sterling was introduced. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. The threepence coin was withdrawn in 1971 due to decimalisation and replaced by the decimal new penny, with 2.4d being worth 1p. 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. These coins are identifiable from other denominations by the rose behind the queen's head on the obverse, and the date on the reverse. The silver threepenny was popular in Scotland but not in England. See Maundy money for full details of these issues. Sixpence The sixpence, worth six pre-decimal pennies, was known colloquially as a "tanner". The threepence denomination fell out of use again during the reign of King James I, while during King Charles I's reign (162549) it was not produced at the London Tower mint, but was produced (sometimes in some quantity) at various provincial mints. [4] This was repeated in 1645, but with a plumelet instead of a plume in front of the kings' face. Threepence coins issued in 1938 circulated for 33 years until "Decimal Day", 15 February 1971, and ceased to be legal tender after 31 August 1971. Similar denominations were later used throughout the British Empire and Commonwealth countries, notably in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The threepenny was additionally used in many countries of the Commonwealth, including Australia and New Zealand. The physical dimensions of the brass threepence remained the same in the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. The first type has the date broken by a thrift plant design and the second has the date below. 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. The threepence is a fascinating coin with a rich history that covered several incarnations during its 400-year lifespan, and this is reflected in the range of valuations depending on the age of your coin. This was repeated in 1645, but with a plumelet instead of a plume in front of the king's face. The same will happen with later dates also. This coin also appears dated 1646. It was restored again in 1947 to sterling silver when circulation silver coins were changed to cupro-nickel, although of course no circulation silverthreepenceswere being issued by then. The whereabouts of six of those 12 are known. In 1937 a new design was introduced for the threepence of George VI. The British pre-decimal halfpenny, (pronounced / hepni / ), historically also known as the obol [1] and once abbreviated ob. Silver threepences continued to be issued until 1944, although from 1942 they were only issued for colonial use, and the last three dates are fairly scarce particularly in higher grades. Name. On May 21, 1969, three young men walked into a Silver Spring, Maryland Selective Service office where they destroyed several hundred draft records to protest the war. Three pences from Maundy sets are often missing as they were the only easily spendable coin in the set at the time. Still, they remain a popular coin for collectors due to the fact there are four distinct designs throughout this era. 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. 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. Dates used for the smaller coins were 156177. Likewise, the coin was usually referred to in conversation as a /rpni/ THRUUP-nee, /rp-/ THREP-, /rp-/ THRUP- bit. It was first minted in 1551, during the reign of Edward VI, and circulated until 1980. Threepence 1937 (Silver, circulating) 8,174,558: King . All you have to do is fill out the form below and attach a clear image of both sides of the coin. However, the other six are still out there somewhere and, as such, they are extremely rare today. The immediate ancestor to the groat was the French gros tournois or groat of Tours, which was known as the groot (Dutch for . Most 1561 issues are 21 mm in diameter, while later ones are 19 mm in diameter. The mint at Bristol produced rare threepences in 1644 and 1645. A three pence coin was also used in the pre-decimalisation currencies of Commonwealth of Nations countries such as Fiji, Australia, and New Zealand. 1943 threepence. 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. The silver threepence continued to be minted, as there may have been some uncertainty about how well the new coin would be accepted. 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. However, he was restrained by the will of the Protector, who was left . [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). Expired coins pre-dating the 1971 decimalisation system have become a popular niche for coin collectors throughout the UK and beyond, and one of these coins is the threepence but how much is a threepence worth today? The silver threepence had another completely new reverse -- three interlinked rings of St. 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. The design continued in the reign of King George I, when threepences were produced in 1717, 1721, 1723, and 1727. Featuring the depiction of a young Queen Victoria, coins from most years in this era are worth around 10-12. 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. Robert Wagner. In King William IV's reign (183037), maundy coins were produced in 183137, and identical circulation coins were produced for the colonies, identifiable only through not having a prooflike surface. 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. Upload a picture of your coin and our team of experts will evaluate the coins condition, rarity, and historical value to give you an accurate market price estimate. The new coin was designed to be more difficult to counterfeit. 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. They depict an IND IMP and are worth 240 at the EF grading. 1644 OX The religion of the Protestants, the laws of England, the liberty of Parliament. The name has also been applied to any thick or large coin, such as the Groschen (grosso), a silver coin issued by Tyrol in 1271 and Venice in the 13th century, which was the first of this general size to circulate in the Holy Roman Empire and other parts of Europe. The reign of King George V (19101936) features several changes to the threepence denomination. 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. The milled silver threepences of Charles II form two types. 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). The threepences of King Edward VIII were all patterns awaiting royal approval at the time of the abdication in December 1936. last of the old size 10p pieces. The general circulation British silver Threepence was no longer. 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. Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the contents in any form is prohibited. This guide and its content is copyright of Chard (1964) Ltd - Chard (1964) Ltd 2023. When did the British Threepence cease to be legal tender? Dates used for the smaller coins were 156177. 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. 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. 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 far the most common Charles I threepences were produced at the Aberystwyth mint between 1638 and 1642. Hence the coin was not minted in the following two reigns. 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. No. You can read more about copyright or our advice disclaimer on these links. While it wasnt in circulation for all reigns, the most noteworthy are Edward VI, Elizabeth I, and Charles I. Due to the vast history of the coin, there are many questions that we get asked around the topic of threepence coins and what theyre worth. After the coins were phased out (beginning in 1970) the building eventually gained a new nickname, the "50p building". 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. The physical dimensions of the brass threepence remained the same in the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. Threepence coins issued in 1940 circulated for 31 years until "Decimal Day", 15 February 1971, and ceased to be legal tender after 31 August 1971. No threepences were produced by the Commonwealth. Edward VI threepences were struck at the London and York mints. 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. Hence the coin was not minted in the following two reigns - if one controversially counts Jane or incorrectly treats coins in the sole name of Mary as being a separate "reign" from those which also show and name her husband Philip. 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. In this epic fantasy adventure, Pinmei and her friend, Yishan, are in an ancient . 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. In 1644 the Exeter mint produced a fairly scarce threepence. 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. 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 . Extremely rare threepences were also produced at the Worcester or Shrewsbury mints, and possibly also at Chester. 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 was considered too fiddly to handle. However, some years, such as 1852 (60) and 1853 (80) reflect increased rarity, caused by minting issues rather than becoming maundy money. * However, a factor of 1.5 or less was NOT enough, especially as sometimes coins got "clipped", to steal some silver from them. The obverse shows a left-facing crowned bust of the queen with a rose behind her, surrounded by the legend ELIZABETH D G ANG FR ET HIB REGINA, while the reverse shows shield over a long cross, dated 1561, surrounded by the legend POSUI DEU ADIUTOREM MEU. 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). Interestingly, the coin also underwent a lot of changes throughout the centuries. The last currency threepence's issued were dated 1967. 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. While the silver threepence was minted as a currency coin until nearly the middle of the twentieth century, it is clear that the purpose of the coin undoubtedly changed during the reign of king George III (1760-1820). When the Sea Turned to Silver. During the reign of king George VI, circulation silver threepences were only produced in 1937-1945 (and almost all the 1945 ones were subsequently melted down). George V silver threepence 1936. 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. The silver threepence continued to be struck for three further years from 1942 to 1944 inclusive although for colonial use only as the 12-sided brass threepences were being struck in large numbers. The second issue was in 1949 when 200,020 pieces were minted to commemorate the intended royal visit of King George VI. Before decimalisation brought about a new currency with new coinage, the sum of three pence was pronounced variously /rpns/ THRUUP-nss, /rp-/ THREP-, /rp-/ THRUP-, reflecting different pronunciations in the various regions and nations of Great Britain. Dates used for the smaller coins were 1561-77. 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.
