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· Written by Connor Jones, Editor

1940s UK Coins Guide: Every Issue with Realised Prices

Every UK coin issued during the 1940s — George VI. WWII coinage, the 1947 silver-to-cupronickel transition (post-war silver shortage), the Wren farthing series. Our catalogue holds 53 distinct coin entries spanning standard circulation issues and Royal Mint commemorative variants. Each row links to the catalogue page with live realised prices.

Last updated: 4 May 2026
In brief. 1940s — George VI. 53 distinct coins in our catalogue. Sortable table below; click any coin for live realised price data.

Every UK coin from the 1940s

YearCoinDenominationMetalMintage
1940 ½ Penny - NAAFI base
1940 1 Penny - NAAFI 1 Penny base
1940 1 Penny - Samson Novelty Co. 1 Penny base
1941 1 Shilling 1 Shilling base
1941 10 Shillings 10 Shillings base
1941 2 Shillings 2 Shillings base
1941 2 Shillings 6 Pence 2 Shillings 6 Pence base
1941 5 Shillings 5 Shillings base
1942 1 Pound - British Military Authority 1 Pound base
1942 1 Shilling - British Military Authority 1 Shilling base
1942 10 Shillings - British Military Authority 10 Shillings base
1942 2 Shillings 6 Pence - British Military Authority 2 Shillings 6 Pence base
1942 5 Shillings - British Military Authority 5 Shillings base
1943 6 Pence 6 Pence base
1945 6 Pence British Military Authority 6 Pence base
1946 1 Pound - British Armed Forces 1st series 1 Pound base
1946 1 Shilling - British Armed Forces 1st series 1 Shilling base
1946 10 Shillings - British Armed Forces 1st series 10 Shillings base
1946 2 Shillings 6 Pence - British Armed Forces 1st series 2 Shillings 6 Pence base
1946 3 Pence - British Armed Forces 1st series 3 Pence base
1946 5 Shillings - British Armed Forces 1st series 5 Shillings base
1946 6 Pence - British Armed Forces 1st series 6 Pence base
1947 1 Penny - George VI 2nd Maundy issue 1 Penny silver
1947 1 Shilling - George VI English crest; with 'IND:IMP' 1 Shilling copper
1947 1 Shilling - George VI Scottish crest; with 'IND:IMP' 1 Shilling copper
1947 ½ Crown - George VI 2nd type ½ Crown copper
1947 2 Pence - George VI 2nd Maundy issue 2 Pence silver
1947 2 Shillings - George VI with 'IND:IMP' 2 Shillings copper
1947 3 Pence - George VI 2nd Maundy issue 3 Pence silver
1947 4 Pence - George VI 2nd Maundy issue 4 Pence silver
1947 6 Pence - George VI 2nd coinage 6 Pence copper
1948 1 000 000 Pounds - Treasury Note 1 000 000 Pounds base
1948 1 Pound - British Armed Forces 2nd series 1 Pound base
1948 1 Shilling - British Armed Forces 2nd series 1 Shilling base
1948 10 Shillings - British Armed Forces 2nd series 10 Shillings base
1948 2 Shillings 6 Pence - British Armed Forces 2nd series 2 Shillings 6 Pence base
1948 3 Pence - British Armed Forces 2nd series 3 Pence base
1948 5 Pounds - British Armed Forces 2nd series 5 Pounds base
1948 5 Shillings - British Armed Forces 2nd series 5 Shillings base
1948 6 Pence British Armed Forces; 2nd series 6 Pence base
1949 1 Farthing - George VI without 'IND:IMP' 1 Farthing copper 4
1949 1 Penny - George VI 3rd Maundy issue 1 Penny silver
1949 1 Penny - George VI without 'IND:IMP' 1 Penny copper 1
1949 1 Shilling - George VI English crest; without 'IND:IMP' 1 Shilling copper 2
1949 1 Shilling - George VI Scottish crest; without 'IND:IMP' 1 Shilling copper 2
1949 ½ Crown - George VI 3rd type; no 'IND:IMP' ½ Crown copper 1
1949 ½ Penny - George VI without 'IND:IMP' ½ Penny copper 2
1949 2 Pence - George VI 3rd Maundy issue 2 Pence silver
1949 2 Shillings - George VI without 'IND:IMP' 2 Shillings copper 2
1949 3 Pence - George VI 3rd Maundy issue 3 Pence silver
1949 3 Pence - George VI without 'IND:IMP' 3 Pence nickel 4
1949 4 Pence - George VI 3rd Maundy issue 4 Pence silver
1949 6 Pence - George VI 3rd coinage 6 Pence copper 4

Buy 1940s coins on eBay

The links below open eBay UK searches; if you buy through them, MyCoinage earns a small commission at no cost to you.

1940s UK coins (BIN) ↗ Year 1940 coins ↗ Year 1949 coins ↗ Royal Mint 1940+ packs ↗

Frequently asked questions

Which monarchs reigned during the 1940s?
George VI. See our individual Victoria, George V, Edward VIII and Charles III guides for reign-specific detail.
How many distinct UK coins were issued in the 1940s?
Our catalogue holds 53 distinct coin entries with year_start in this decade, including standard circulation issues and Royal Mint commemorative variants (silver proof, silver piedfort, gold proof, etc.).
What was the most-collected coin from this decade?
WWII coinage, the 1947 silver-to-cupronickel transition (post-war silver shortage), the Wren farthing series. Use the catalogue table below to browse every coin in detail.
Are coins from this decade still legal tender?
Pre-1971 (pre-decimal) coins were demonetised on 31 December 1992 (1p, 6d, 1s, 2s pre-decimal) and various dates in the 1970s and 1980s for other denominations. Post-decimal coinage (1971+) is still legal tender, though some specific issues (the original large 50p and large 10p) were demonetised when smaller-diameter versions replaced them. All decimal-era coins in our catalogue retain at least face value.
How much is a typical coin from this decade worth?
Common-date circulating coins typically trade at face value to a few pounds in average grade. Royal Mint silver and gold proofs from collector packs trade at £30-300+. Specific key-date and rarity coins (1933 penny, 1925 Wreath threepence, 1971 silver proof set, 2009 Kew Gardens 50p) trade at £100-72,000+ depending on the piece. Click any coin in the table to see live realised auction prices for its grades.
Where can I buy coins from this decade?
For circulated material: eBay UK, local coin fairs (search BNTA fair calendar), or BNTA-member dealers. For sealed Royal Mint packs and slabbed material: Royal Mint direct, BNTA dealers, or specialist UK auction houses (Spink, Baldwin's, London Coins). See our UK auction house comparison.
Are these coins CGT-exempt?
All UK legal-tender coins are exempt from Capital Gains Tax indefinitely — regardless of holding period or capital gain. This includes pre-decimal silver, gold sovereigns, decimal commemoratives, and all Royal Mint legal-tender issues. See our CGT-exempt coins UK guide.
How do I authenticate older coins?
For coins worth £100+, professional grading at PCGS, NGC or CGS UK is the standard. The grading service authenticates the coin and assigns a verified grade in a tamper-evident slab. For lower-value coins, the five-test framework (weight, diameter, edge inspection, magnet test, surface relief) catches 95%+ of fakes. See our how to spot fake British coins guide.
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