Which decimal coins are still legal in Great Britain?
MrBreeze
Posts: 1,036 ✭✭✭
I have sorted a great deal of world coins over the years and have plenty of modern British coins. Are all of the decimal coins legal tender? In theory, could I ship them all to Britain to pay for something?
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NO COIN ISSUED PRIOR TO THE ACT OF 1816 IS LEGAL TENDER.
1816 ONWARDS:-
GOLD - all legal tender at £5, £2, £1, 50p
SILVER and Cupro-nickel
5/- Crown - all are LEGAL tender at 25p.
4/- Double-Florin - all are LEGAL tender at 20p.
2/6 Halfcrown - demonetised end of 1969.
2/- Florin - valid at 10p until demonetised end of June 1993.
1/- Shilling - valid at 5p until demonetised end of 1990.
6d Sixpence - valid at 2½p until demonetised end of June 1980.
4d Groat (Britannia type) - demonetised end of August 1971.
3d Threepence (Acorn and Shield types) - demonetised end of August 1971.
3d Threepence (“3”type) - “considered as” Maundy Money and LEGAL tender at 3p.
2d Twopence (“2” type) - “considered as” Maundy Money and LEGAL tender at 2p.
1½d Three-halfpence - never LEGAL tender in Britain.
MAUNDY MONEY
All coins after 1816 are LEGAL tender at their shown number of decimal pence.
BRASS
3d Threepence - demonetised end of August 1971.
COPPER
All Copper coins demonetised end of 1869.
BRONZE
1d Penny - demonetised end of August 1971.
½d - Halfpenny - demonetised end of August 1969.
¼d Farthing - demonetised end of 1960.
Third-Farthing - never LEGAL tender in Britain
DECIMAL
Large sized 50p, 10p & 5p along with the bronze 1/2p are demonetised
There a lot of post decimalisation commemorative £5 crowns and bullion coins which are legal tender but don't circulate
Coins in everyday use are 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1 & £2
David
<< <i>
DECIMAL
Large sized 50p, 10p & 5p along with the bronze 1/2p are demonetised
>>
If this is true then my respect for the British just took a nose dive.
<< <i>
<< <i>
DECIMAL
Large sized 50p, 10p & 5p along with the bronze 1/2p are demonetised
>>
If this is true then my respect for the British just took a nose dive. >>
???
The first issue 10p & 5p were larger to facilitate the 1971 changeover, allowing the same sized florin (2/-) to circulate as 10p and the shilling as 5p
<< <i>The larger sized decimal 5p, 10p and 50p coins were demonetised - but they are redeemable as are the 1817-1967 dated coins in bulk by the Bank of England. You just cannot spend them in the Fish and Chip Shoppe anymore. >>
Thanks for the info.
I guess I better get rid of my 50P soon.
It doesn't disturb me that old coins are eventually demonetized but it is disturbing if
they were to issue coinage with almost no "intrinsic" value and then even reneg on that.
<< <i>
It doesn't disturb me that old coins are eventually demonetized but it is disturbing if
they were to issue coinage with almost no "intrinsic" value and then even reneg on that. >>
50p, 10p & 5p are still in circulation, just smaller sizes - the change also allowed introduction of the £2 which is about the size of the old florin (2/-) / 10p
never ceases to amaze me that the US still has a 1 cent coin and such a low value note as the dollar bill, what coins are still legal tender in the US now and what coins actually circulate?
David
(US coins are darkside for me
<< <i>
<< <i>
It doesn't disturb me that old coins are eventually demonetized but it is disturbing if
they were to issue coinage with almost no "intrinsic" value and then even reneg on that. >>
50p, 10p & 5p are still in circulation, just smaller sizes - the change also allowed introduction of the £2 which is about the size of the old florin (2/-) / 10p
never ceases to amaze me that the US still has a 1 cent coin and such a low value note as the dollar bill, what coins are still legal tender in the US now and what coins actually circulate?
David
(US coins are darkside for me
AFAIK the only coin every demonetized by the USA was the Trade Dollar.
Every other coin is still legal tender.
Currently produced coins are 1¢, 5¢, dime, quarter, half dollar and dollar.
The half dollar has fallen into disuse by the general public and is now minted for the collector market, and despite the government's best efforts, the public doesn't like to use the various dollar coins.
The mainstay coin is the quarter dollar.