B.M. asks: I have a 1958 six-pence. Does it have any value? Is the British pence still in use? Thanks for your help.
Yes, but the current penny is a decimal unit 100 pence= 1 pound. The old large pence prior to 1971 is obsolete. Current approximate exchange value requires 60 pence to equal a U.S. dollar.
When Great Britain changed to a decimal system in 1971, all the coins that didn’t fit became immediately obsolete. The 6 pence (6d) was one of the most used coins in the old system and at one time was a silver coin (In 1958 it was copper-nickel). Though this late 6 pence has almost no monetary value, even as a collectible, it still has lots of interest and it represents a part of a very strange (at least to us) monetary system. It was arranged like this (hold on to your hat):
- 4 farthings = penny (written as 1d)
- 2 pennys = twopence (2d)
- 3 pennys = threepence (thrupence)(3d)
- 4 pennys = groat (4d)
- 6 pennies = 6 pence (6d)
- 2 six pence = shilling (1s)
- 2 1/2 shillings = florin
- 2 florins = 5 shillings = Crown (about the size and value of a U.S. silver dollar)
- 4 Crowns = pound (£)=240 pence
- 21 Shillings = Guinea
This complex system existed for centuries in England and at various times had other divisions. If you were going to buy something and the price was 2 shillings 6 pence it would be expressed like this: -/2s/6d The first space was for pounds, the next for shillings and the last for pence. 2£/5s/3d or 2 pounds 5 shillings and thrupence.
So, now enjoy your six pence. (six pence in your shoe and you’ll never be blue).
