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5 - Decimal Five Pence


Decimal Two Pence <<-- : -->> Decimal Ten Pence

Values of Decimal 5p and 10p coins

Pictures of Decimal Five Pence Coins on www.ukcoinpics.co.uk


Five Pence


The five pence coin initially weighed 5.65 grams and had a diameter of 23.59 mm, identical in this respect to the shilling. In 1990 a new smaller version was introduced weighing 3.25g and 18.00 mm diameter.

There are six types of this coin. All are minted in cupronickel.

  1. First large type

    Obv: First Portrait, inscription ELIZABETH II D G REG F D (date) starting top right
    Rev: Crowned Thistle, 5 below, NEW PENCE above

    Issued from 1968 to 1981 (1972-1974, 1976 and 1981 in Proof only)

  2. Second large type

    Obv: First Portrait, inscription ELIZABETH II D G REG F D (date) starting top right
    Rev: Crowned Thistle, 5 below, FIVE PENCE above
    Issued from 1982 to 1984 (All only obtainable from Mint and Proof sets).

  3. Third large type

    Obv: Second Portrait, inscription ELIZABETH II D G REG F D (date) starting low left
    Rev: Crowned Thistle, 5 below, FIVE PENCE above

    Issued from 1985 to 1990 (1985-86 and 1990 only issued in Mint and Proof Sets).

  4. First small type

    Obv: Second Portrait, inscription ELIZABETH II D G REG F D (date) starting low left
    Rev: Crowned Thistle, 5 below, FIVE PENCE above

    Issued from 1990 to 1997 (1993 probably only issued in Mint and Proof Sets; I have not seen one in circulation). The 1996 version exists as a silver proof.

  5. Second small type

    Obv: Third Portrait, inscription ELIZABETH II D G REG F D (date) starting low left. Initials IRB below bust.
    Rev: Crowned Thistle, 5 below, FIVE PENCE above.
    Issued from 1998 to 2008. All dates are in circulation.

  6. Third small type

    Obv: Third Portrait, inscription ELIZABETH II D G REG F D (date) starting low left. Initials IRB below bust. No beading.
    Rev: Central part of the Royal Arms, FIVE PENCE centrally.
    First issued in 2008 (2008 and 2009 in circulation).
    Proofs in silver, 2008 and 2009

The full designation of the 1968 to 2008 reverse is 'The Badge of Scotland, a thistle royally crowned'. It was designed by Christopher Ironside.

With the reduction in size the old larger coins, along with the shillings that circulated alongside, were withdrawn from circulation, and demonetized with effect from 1st January 1991.


Acknowledgements

See my Main Coins Index page for acknowledgements


Links

On this website

Main History Index
Previous page - Decimal Two Pence
Next page - Decimal Ten Pence

Values Index
Values of 5p and 10p coins.

On my pictures website (www.ukcoinpics.co.uk)

Pictures of Decimal Five Pence Coins
Pictures Index


Help and Advice

If you wish to ask for advice, feel free to mail me via my Advice page but please do not send me unsolicited scans or other binary files.

I would also be grateful if you could search the site carefully before mailing me - the answers to the great majority of the questions that I am asked can be found on this site.


Decimal Coins of UK - 5 - Five Pence / Copyright reserved by the author, Tony Clayton
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