½ New Penny - Elizabeth II 2nd portrait (1971–1981)

One row for each year the ½ New 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; 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 1971 Half New Penny - Elizabeth II

The 1971 Half New Penny - Elizabeth II is a circulating ½ penny coin issued from 1971 to 1981, struck in bronze (97% Cu, 2.5% Zn, 0.5% Sn). It weighs 1.78g and measures 17.14mm across. Reverse design: Central crown of St. Edward, denomination in letters above and numerals below.

Mintage figures are recorded for 10 years between 1971 and 1981, 3,329,656,250 coins in all. 1981 is the scarcest date, with 46,748,000 struck. It is no longer legal tender (withdrawn 1984), so its value is to collectors only.

Common questions

History and design

The decimal halfpenny was introduced on 15 February 1971, Decimal Day, with the 1p and 2p. The Royal Mint says a halfpenny was included because it was thought the smaller denomination would aid familiarity between the new coinage and the old. One new halfpenny equalled 1.2 old pence, which let low prices be converted more closely and kept the sixpence usable at 2½p.

The coin was not loved. The Royal Mint Museum records that the only discordant note on Decimal Day was criticism of the small size of the ½p and a fear that traders had put up prices.

The Royal Mint's figures give 1,394,188,250 coins dated 1971, struck in advance at Llantrisant. No halfpenny was issued for circulation dated 1972. Striking then ran every year from 1973 to 1981, and the ten circulating NEW PENNY dates total 3,329,656,250.

Christopher Ironside designed the reverse, one of the set chosen for the decimal coinage. It shows St Edward's Crown, with NEW PENNY above and the fraction ½ below.

The obverse carries Arnold Machin's portrait of the Queen, used on decimal coins until 1984. The coin is bronze with a plain edge. From 1982 the wording above the crown changed to HALF PENNY.

Collecting notes

At 17.14mm and 1.78g this was the smallest decimal coin in size as well as value. It cannot be spent: the Royal Mint says the decimal halfpenny was removed from circulation in 1984, and Wikipedia records that it was demonetised in December of that year.

By mintage the type falls into two groups. The dates 1971, 1973 to 1976, 1979 and 1980 each have figures above 190 million, while 1977, 1978 and 1981 are all below 70 million, with 1981 the lowest at 46,748,000.

The scarcest circulating halfpenny of all is not in this type. The Royal Mint's figures give 7,600,000 for 1983, which belongs to the later HALF PENNY coins of 1982 to 1984.