½ Penny - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; without 'BRITT:OMN'
| Bronze | 5.67 g | 25.4 mm |
| Issuer | United Kingdom (United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies) |
|---|---|
| Queen | Elizabeth II (1952-2022) |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
| Years | 1954-1970 |
| Value | ½ Penny (1⁄480) |
| Currency | Pound sterling (1158-1970) |
| Composition | Bronze |
| Weight | 5.67 g |
| Diameter | 25.4 mm |
| Thickness | 1.3 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Technique | Milled |
| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
| Demonetized | 1 August 1969 |
| Updated | 2024-10-09 |
| Numista | N#5824 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 3% |
Reverse
Three-masted ship sailing left, denomination above, date below.
Script: Latin
Lettering:
HALF PENNY
HP
1958
Engraver: Thomas Humphrey Paget
Edge
Plain
Comment
House of Windsor (1917 to date), Elizabeth II (1952-2022), Pre-decimal issues (1953-70).
The standard weight of these pieces was 80 to the pound avoirdupois (1/5 ounce or 87½ grains).
The ship featured on the reverse design, which first appeared on the 1937 halfpenny pattern of Edward VIII, is based on Sir Francis Drake's Golden Hind, in which he became the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe between 1577 and 1580.
We are indebted to Declan Magee and Numista member Sjoelund for their kind permission to reproduce the images below which list some of the varieties for this series.
In 1954 there were two reverse varieties:
1954 - Reverse A - L of HALF at a bead, smaller teeth
1954 - Reverse B - L of HALF between beads, longer teeth
