1 Penny - Elizabeth II 2nd portrait (1982–1984)

One row for each year the 1 Penny - Elizabeth II 2nd portrait was struck. Prices are medians of verified sold listings matched to that year from the listing: circulated is worn condition up to Extremely Fine, uncirculated is About Uncirculated or better. A count in brackets means fewer than three sales behind the figure; a grey figure marked "type" is the median across every year, shown where that year has no sale of its own yet. Most types have been searched year by year only since October 2026, so later years are still filling in. Use the grade table below for a price by condition across all years.

About the 1982 1 Penny - Elizabeth II

The 1982 1 Penny - Elizabeth II is a circulating 1 penny coin issued from 1982 to 1984, struck in bronze. It weighs 3.56g and measures 20.3mm across. Reverse design: Crowned portcullis with chains (an adaptation of the Badge of Henry VII which is now the Badge of the Palace of Westminster), legend above, denomination below.

Mintage figures are recorded for 3 years between 1982 and 1984, 498,053,625 coins in all. 1982 is the scarcest date, with 100,292,000 struck.

Common questions

History and design

In 1982 the Royal Mint dropped the word NEW from the decimal bronze coins. It had been there since 1971 to distinguish them from the pre-decimal coinage. From that year the 1p read ONE PENNY.

This type lasted three years, because a new portrait of the Queen by Raphael Maklouf replaced Arnold Machin's on the 1p from 1985. The Royal Mint's figures give 100,292,000 coins for 1982, 243,002,000 for 1983 and 154,759,625 for 1984, a total of 498,053,625.

Unlike some other denominations, the penny was struck for circulation in all three years. The Mint's figures list no circulating 2p, 5p or 10p dated 1982, 1983 or 1984.

The reverse is Christopher Ironside's crowned portcullis with chains, the design used on the 1p from 1971 to 2008. The only change from the earlier coins is the wording above it, ONE PENNY in place of NEW PENNY, with the figure 1 below.

The obverse carries the portrait by Arnold Machin, which the Royal Mint dates on the 1p to 1971 to 1984. The coin is bronze (97% copper, 2.5% zinc, 0.5% tin) with a plain edge.

Collecting notes

These pennies are still legal tender and can still be found in change. Being bronze, they are not attracted to a magnet, unlike the copper-plated steel 1p made since September 1992.

The 1982 coin has the lowest figure of the three. In the Royal Mint's data it is the lowest circulating 1p figure for any date before 2020, although more than a hundred million were made, so it is not hard to find.

To place a penny, check the wording and the portrait together. NEW PENNY with this portrait is the 1971 to 1981 type. ONE PENNY with Raphael Maklouf's portrait is the type introduced in 1985.