The British pre-decimal halfpenny, (pronounced ), historically also known as the obol and once abbreviated ''ob.'' (from the Latin 'obulus'), was a denomination of sterling coinage worth of one pound, of one shilling, or of one penny. Originally the halfpenny was minted in copper, but after 1860 it was minted in bronze. In the run-up to decimalisation it ceased to be legal tender from 31 July 1969. The halfpenny featured two different designs on its reverse during its years in circulation. From 1672 until 1936 the image of

Britannia Britannia () is the national personification of Britain as a helmeted female warrior holding a trident and shield. An image first used in classical antiquity, the Latin ''Britannia'' was the name variously applied to the British Isles, Grea ...

appeared on the reverse, and from 1937 onwards the image of the Golden Hind appeared. Like all British coinage, it bore the portrait of the monarch on the obverse. "Halfpenny" was colloquially written ''ha’penny'', and "''d''" was spoken as "a penny ha’penny" or ''three ha’pence'' . "Halfpenny" is a rare example of a word in the

English language English is a West Germanic language of the Indo-European language family, with its earliest forms spoken by the inhabitants of early medieval England. It is named after the Angles, one of the ancient Germanic peoples that migrated to the ...

that has a silent ' f'. Before Decimal Day in 1971, sterling used the

Carolingian monetary system The Carolingian monetary system, also called the Carolingian coinage systempound divided into 20 shillings, each of 12 pence. Each penny was further divided into 4 farthings, thus a pound contained 480 halfpennies and a shilling contained 24 halfpennies.

Design

British pre-decimal halfpenny 1936 reverse

The original reverse of the bronze version of the coin, designed by

Leonard Charles Wyon Leonard Charles Wyon (23 November 1826 – 20 August 1891) was a British engraver of the Victorian era most notable for his work on the gold and silver coinage struck for the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1887 and the bronze coinage of ...

, is a seated

, holding a trident, with the words to either side. Issues before 1895 also feature a lighthouse to Britannia's left and a ship to her right. Various minor adjustments to the level of the sea depicted around Britannia, and the angle of her trident were also made over the years. Some issues feature toothed edges, while others feature beading. Over the years, various different obverses were used. Edward VII, George V, George VI and Elizabeth II each had a single obverse for halfpennies produced during their respective reigns. Over the long reign of Queen Victoria two different obverses were used, but the short reign of Edward VIII meant no halfpennies bearing his likeness were ever issued. During Victoria's reign, the halfpenny was first issued with the so-called 'bun head', or 'draped bust' of Queen Victoria on the obverse. The inscription around the bust read . This was replaced in 1895 by the 'old head', or 'veiled bust'. The inscription on these coins read . Cover of Illustrated Chips 298 (1896)

Coins issued during the reign of

Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until Death and state funeral of Edward VII, his death in 1910. The second chil ...

feature his likeness and bear the inscription . Similarly, those issued during the reign of

George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936. Born during the reign of his grandmother ...

feature his likeness and bear the inscription . A halfpenny of King Edward VIII (1936) does exist, dated 1937, but technically it is a pattern coin i.e. one produced for official approval; it would probably have been due to receive this approval at about the time that the King abdicated. The obverse shows a left-facing portrait of the king (who considered this to be his better side, and consequently broke the tradition of alternating the direction in which the monarch faces on coins – some viewed this as indicating bad luck for the reign); the inscription on the obverse is . The pattern coin of Edward VIII and regular issue halfpennies of

George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of I ...

and

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states durin ...

feature a redesigned reverse displaying

Sir Francis Drake Sir Francis Drake ( – 28 January 1596) was an English explorer, sea captain, privateer, slave trader, naval officer, and politician. Drake is best known for his circumnavigation of the world in a single expedition, from 1577 to 158 ...

's ship the '' Golden Hind''. George VI issue coins feature the inscription before 1949, and thereafter. Unlike the penny, halfpennies were minted throughout the early reign of Elizabeth II, bearing the inscription in 1953, and thereafter.

Mintages

Terminology

Ha’porth:

British English British English (BrE, en-GB, or BE) is, according to Oxford Dictionaries, "English as used in Great Britain, as distinct from that used elsewhere". More narrowly, it can refer specifically to the English language in England, or, more broadl ...

i.e. 'halfpenny-worth' or 'halfpennyworth' pronounced . (via Internet Archive WayBack Machine: 2 Oct 2019) ''In literal use'' usually written out in full''Did I hear you "aright"?''PhD General Linguistics, UCL Psychology & Language SciencesProfessor Emeritus John Christopher Wells' C.V. (via Internet Archive) although still ''never pronounced phonetically'': e.g. "A halfpennyworth of chips."'' In figurative use'' usually said disparagingly: e.g. "I've been dying for somebody with a ha’porth of wit and intelligence to talk to."Archived a
Ghostarchive
and th
Wayback Machine
"…and saying it doesn't make a halfpennyworth of difference!"Archived a
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and th
Wayback Machine
. circa 22 min. & 33. sec. in. (from Alan Bennett's ''A lady of Letters'', written and produced in 1987, some sixteen years after decimalisation and three years after the New Halfpenny—(i.e. the decimal p)—had been demonetised and withdrawn from circulation, thus further illustrating the continued traditional or idiomatic ''two-syllable pronunciation''). Also used in the once common phrase: "daft ha’porth."Archived a
Ghostarchive
and th
Wayback Machine

References

External links

Halfpenny (Pre-decimal), Coin Type from United Kingdom – Online Coin Club
{{DEFAULTSORT:Halfpenny Coins of Great Britain Pre-decimalisation coins of the United Kingdom Coins of the United Kingdom

Design

Mintages

Terminology

See also

References

External links