This Brushwood Coin Note is the first in the series and explores one of our favourite coins - the ‘ship’ halfpenny - the reverse was inspired by Sir Francis Drake’s “Golden Hind.” The design was created by Mr T H Paget OBE in 1937, and you will find his initials (HP) in the field below the stern on each coin. The ship halfpenny design was issued into circulation between the years of 1937 and 1967, eventually being demonetised on 31 July 1969. However, a final ship halfpenny was minted retrospectively for 1970, but only issued in proof sets of that year. In 1971 the much smaller and less popular “new half pence” was then introduced as part of the new decimal coinage. The original coin was not often called a 'half penny', neither was the plural said as 'half pence'. The usual pronunciation sounded like 'hayp-knee' referring to a single coin or 'haypunce' in the plural, as for example in 'three halfpence'.