Obverse. Photo © Terapeak
  • 1/2 Penny 1953, KM# 882, United Kingdom (Great Britain), Elizabeth II
  • 1/2 Penny 1953, KM# 882, United Kingdom (Great Britain), Elizabeth II
Description

The British pre-decimal halfpenny (½d) coin, usually simply known as a halfpenny, was a unit of currency that equalled half of a penny or 1/480th of a pound sterling. Originally the halfpenny was minted in copper, but after 1860 it was minted in bronze.

Obverse

First portrait of HM Queen Elizabeth II (laureate bust) facing right, wearing a wreath. It was introduced in 1953, one year after the Queen acceded to the throne. It captures the grace and youth of the 26-year-old new Queen. Her hair is restrained by a laureate crown which is tied with ribbons at the back of her head. The Queen's shoulders are bare and the truncation follows the curve of the coin. The engravers initials M.G. are incuse, generally faint, and are located on the raised edge found at the base of the bust.

ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA BRITANNIARUM OMNIUM REGINA FIDEI DEFENSATRIX means Elizabeth the Second, by the grace of God, Queen of all the Britains, Defender of the Faith.

Engraver: Mary Gillick

+ELIZABETH II DEI GRA:BRITT:OMN:REGINA F:D
M.G.

Reverse

Value, ship Golden Hind and date below.

Golden Hind was an English galleon best known for her privateering circumnavigation of the globe between 1577 and 1580, captained by Sir Francis Drake. She was originally known as Pelican, but was renamed by Drake mid-voyage in 1578, in honour of his patron, Sir Christopher Hatton, whose crest was a golden 'hind' (a female deer). Hatton was one of the principal sponsors of Drake's world voyage.

Engraver: Thomas Humphrey Paget

HALF PENNY
HP
1953

Edge

1/2 Penny

1st portrait, with BRITT:OMN
KM# 882 Sp# 4155
Characteristics
Material Bronze
Weight 5.7 g
Diameter 25.4 mm
Thickness -
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Mint
Royal Mint

Related coins

1st portrait

Copper, 9.45 g, ⌀ 28 mm
2nd portrait

Bronze, 5.7 g, ⌀ 25.4 mm

Bronze, 5.6 g, ⌀ 25.5 mm