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· Written by Connor Jones, Editor

1950s UK Coins Guide: Every Issue with Realised Prices

Every UK coin issued during the 1950s — George VI (to 1952), Elizabeth II (from 1953). The Elizabeth II coronation, Festival of Britain crown, transition from George VI portrait to the new Mary Gillick portrait. Our catalogue holds 42 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. 1950s — George VI (to 1952), Elizabeth II (from 1953). 42 distinct coins in our catalogue. Sortable table below; click any coin for live realised price data.

Every UK coin from the 1950s

YearCoinDenominationMetalMintage
1950 4 Shillings - George VI Pattern 4 Shillings copper
1951 Replica - Victoria - 1 Crown 3rd portrait, 1951 1 Crown copper
1951 5 Shillings - George VI Festival of Britain 5 Shillings copper 2
1952 1 Penny - George VI without 'IND:IMP' 1 Penny copper
1952 Postal Order - One Shilling Six Pence 1 Shilling 6 Pence base
1953 1 Farthing - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; with 'BRITT:OMN' 1 Farthing copper 2
1953 1 Penny - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; with 'BRITT:OMN' 1 Penny copper 2
1953 1 Penny - Elizabeth II Maundy pre-decimal; 1st issue 1 Penny silver
1953 1 Shilling - Elizabeth II English shield; with 'BRITT:OMN' 1 Shilling copper 2
1953 1 Shilling - Elizabeth II Scottish shield; with 'BRITT:OMN' 1 Shilling copper 2
1953 1 Sovereign - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; Pattern 1 Sovereign gold
1953 ½ Crown - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; with 'BRITT:OMN' ½ Crown copper 2
1953 ½ Penny - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; with 'BRITT:OMN' ½ Penny copper 2
1953 2 Pence - Elizabeth II Maundy pre-decimal; 1st issue 2 Pence silver
1953 2 Shillings - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; with 'BRITT:OMN' 2 Shillings copper 2
1953 3 Pence - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; with 'BRITT:OMN' 3 Pence nickel 4
1953 3 Pence - Elizabeth II Maundy pre-decimal; 1st issue 3 Pence silver
1953 4 Pence - Elizabeth II Maundy pre-decimal; 1st issue 4 Pence silver
1953 5 Shillings - Elizabeth II Coronation 5 Shillings copper 2
1953 6 Pence - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; with 'BRITT:OMN' 6 Pence copper 4
1954 1 Farthing - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; without 'BRITT:OMN' 1 Farthing copper
1954 1 Penny - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; without 'BRITT:OMN' 1 Penny copper 1
1954 1 Penny - Elizabeth II Maundy pre-decimal; 2nd issue 1 Penny silver 964
1954 1 Shilling - Elizabeth II English shield; without 'BRITT:OMN' 1 Shilling copper
1954 1 Shilling - Elizabeth II Scottish shield; without 'BRITT:OMN' 1 Shilling copper
1954 ½ Crown - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; without 'BRITT:OMN' ½ Crown copper
1954 ½ Penny - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; without 'BRITT:OMN' ½ Penny copper
1954 2 Pence - Elizabeth II Maundy pre-decimal; 2nd issue 2 Pence silver 980
1954 2 Shillings - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; without 'BRITT:OMN' 2 Shillings copper
1954 3 Pence - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; without 'BRITT:OMN' 3 Pence nickel
1954 3 Pence - Elizabeth II Maundy pre-decimal; 2nd issue 3 Pence silver 964
1954 4 Pence - Elizabeth II Maundy pre-decimal; 2nd issue 4 Pence silver 964
1954 6 Pence - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; without 'BRITT:OMN' 6 Pence copper
1956 1 Pound - British Armed Forces 3rd series 1 Pound base
1956 1 Shilling - British Armed Forces 3rd series 1 Shilling base
1956 10 Shillings - British Armed Forces 3rd series 10 Shillings base
1956 2 Shillings 6 Pence - British Armed Forces 3rd series 2 Shillings 6 Pence base
1956 3 Pence - British Armed Forces 3rd series 3 Pence base
1956 6 Pence - British Armed Forces 3rd series 6 Pence base
1957 1 Crown - Edward VIII Wreath Pattern; Silver 1 Crown silver 975
1957 1 Sovereign - Elizabeth II 1st portrait 1 Sovereign gold
1958 1 Penny Kiddicraft 1 Penny

Buy 1950s 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.

1950s UK coins (BIN) ↗ Year 1950 coins ↗ Year 1959 coins ↗ Royal Mint 1950+ packs ↗

Frequently asked questions

Which monarchs reigned during the 1950s?
George VI (to 1952), Elizabeth II (from 1953). 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 1950s?
Our catalogue holds 42 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?
The Elizabeth II coronation, Festival of Britain crown, transition from George VI portrait to the new Mary Gillick portrait. 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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