A. E. writes: I have a 1981 Charles/Diana wedding coin, special edition 25 pence silver piece. I thought that Great Britain doesn’t make a 25 pence. It is about the size of a 50 cent piece. Someone brought it back as a present. Is it of any value?
The 1981 Royal Wedding Commemorative crown (25p) was popular with the public and was made in large numbers and distributed by banks in England. Though there is more interest now that the Princess is gone, there is plenty of these to go around.
There were 27,360,000 minted. The copper-nickel issues are worth about US$1, issued in a plastic bank envelope, CuNi specimen, issued in a Royal Mint folder, about US$3.00. A silver (sterling) proof version was marketed by the British Royal Mint (28.27 grams sterling silver), mintage: 218,000. Value: about $25.
Actually, Britain does have a 25p denomination, though it is currently used for commemorative coins. It translated from the old Crown denomination (4 crowns to the pound). When Great Britain changed their currency to a decimal system in 1971, all coins from the old system that fit were kept, other denominations were retired. For example, the shilling became 5 pence, still 20 to the pound as in the old system.
