1 Shilling - Elizabeth II English shield without 'BRITT:OMN' (1954–1970)

One row for each year the 1 Shilling - Elizabeth II English shield – without 'BRITT:OMN' 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; years with no sales yet fill in as sales are recorded. 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 1954 1 Shilling - Elizabeth II English shield – without 'BRITT:OMN'

The 1954 1 Shilling - Elizabeth II English shield – without 'BRITT:OMN' is a circulating 1 shilling coin issued from 1954 to 1970, struck in copper-nickel (75% Cu, 25% Ni). It weighs 5.66g and measures 23.5mm across. Reverse design: Crowned English shield of arms dividing date, legend above, denomination below.

Mintage figures are recorded for 13 years between 1954 and 1966, 382,830,100 coins in all. 1964 is the scarcest date, with 8,590,900 struck. It is no longer legal tender (withdrawn 1990), so its value is to collectors only.

Common questions

History and design

From 1954 the Queen's title on the coinage dropped BRITT OMN. The Royal Mint explains that it was omitted owing to the changing status of many Commonwealth territories, and Coins of the UK notes that the change was common to all denominations. This is the English shilling of the shortened legend, struck every year from 1954 to 1966.

Coins of the UK records that 1966 was the last year of regular shillings. The 5p, the same size and value, began to be issued in 1968, and shillings dated 1970 exist only as proofs in the final sets of the old coinage. Wikipedia gives 750,476 of them.

Output swung widely. On Coin Hunter's figures the busiest year was 1963 at 49,433,607, while 1958 fell to 14,392,305 and the mid-1960s lower still: 8,590,900 in 1964 and 9,216,000 in 1965. Wikipedia's figures for 1963 to 1965 differ markedly, and with no Royal Mint figures published those rows are noted as disputed. The thirteen years total 382,829,955 on Coin Hunter's numbers.

William Maving Gardner designed and engraved the reverse, the arms of England with three lions, which Coins of the UK describes as "leopards" facing left within a shield. The Royal Mint credits him with both shillings and the brass threepence of the reign.

The obverse is Mary Gillick's laureate portrait with the legend ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA. Coins of the UK notes that the 1953 coins have a weaker bust, so the more deeply engraved head on this type is the usual guide to the 1954 change. The coin is cupro-nickel with a milled edge, 23.5mm across.

Collecting notes

Check the legend for the absence of BRITT OMN, and count the lions: three for this coin, one rampant lion for the Scottish shilling. The two were issued side by side and, as Coins of the UK notes, circulated together everywhere.

Date collectors should look hardest for 1964 and 1965 in good condition, the lowest English issues on any reference. The 1970 proof belongs to the boxed final sets.

After decimalisation the shilling served as 5 new pence until the Royal Mint demonetised it in 1990, when the smaller 5p arrived.