FREE: British Two New Pence - 1975

The listing, British Two New Pence - 1975 has ended.

This coin has the title of "New Pence" due to the decimalization of British coinage.

"Decimalization" took place on 15 February 1971; at that time, the pound (symbol "£") was divided into 100 pence.

Prior to decimalization, the pound was divided into 20 shillings, each of 12 (old) pence. Thus there were 240 (old) pence to the pound. The value of the pound itself was unchanged by decimalization.

The first decimal coins — the five pence (5p) and ten pence (10p) — were introduced in 1968 in the run-up to decimalization in order to familiarize the public with the new system. These initially circulated alongside the pre-decimal coinage and had the same size and value as the existing one shilling and two shilling coins respectively. The fifty pence (50p) coin followed in 1969, replacing the old ten shilling note. The remaining decimal coins — at the time, the half penny (½p), penny (1p) and two pence (2p) — were issued in 1971 at decimalization. A quarter-penny coin, to be struck in aluminim, was proposed at the time,, but was never minted.

The new coins were initially marked with the wording NEW PENNY (singular) or NEW PENCE (plural). The word "new" was dropped in 1982. The symbol "p" was adopted to distinguish the new pennies from the old, which used the symbol "d" (from the Latin denarius, a coin used in the Roman Empire).

Another great to add to your collection!