Elizabeth II Pre-Decimal Coins 1953–1971
Elizabeth II\'s reign covered nineteen years of pre-decimal coinage before Decimal Day on 15 February 1971. The series ran across nine denominations — from farthing to crown — all carrying Mary Gillick\'s iconic young-Queen portrait. This guide covers the Coronation issues, the bronze and cupronickel circulation strikes, key dates including the 1954 penny pattern, the celebrated 1965 Churchill crown and how Mary Gillick\'s first portrait fits into the wider succession of Elizabeth II effigies.
Elizabeth II pre-decimal at a glance
For nineteen years the Royal Mint produced a parallel currency system to the modern decimal pound: 240 pence to the pound, with twelve pence to the shilling and twenty shillings to the pound. Elizabeth II\'s pre-decimal coinage covered every denomination in this system, with consistency in obverse design (Mary Gillick) but evolving reverses for some denominations.
| Denomination | Composition | Diameter | Weight | Years issued |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farthing (¼ d) | Bronze | 20.30 mm | 2.83 g | 1953–1956 |
| Halfpenny (½ d) | Bronze | 25.50 mm | 5.67 g | 1953–1967 |
| Penny (1d) | Bronze | 30.81 mm | 9.4 g | 1953, 1961–1967 |
| Threepence (3d) | Nickel-brass | 21.00 mm (12-sided) | 6.80 g | 1953–1967 |
| Sixpence (6d) | Cupronickel | 19.30 mm | 2.83 g | 1953–1967 |
| Shilling (1/-) | Cupronickel | 23.60 mm | 5.66 g | 1953–1966 (English & Scottish reverses) |
| Florin (2/-) | Cupronickel | 28.50 mm | 11.31 g | 1953–1967 |
| Half crown (2/6) | Cupronickel | 32.00 mm | 14.14 g | 1953–1967 |
| Crown (5/-) | Cupronickel | 38.61 mm | 28.28 g | 1953, 1960, 1965 |
The penny series has the most years missing from the run: pennies were not struck for general circulation in 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959 or 1960 because the Royal Mint had carried forward stock from the heavy late-George-VI mintages. Penny production resumed in 1961 and ran annually 1961–1967 before the final decimal transition.
The Mary Gillick portrait era (1953–1968)
Mary Gillick won the design competition in late 1952 against entries from leading sculptors including Cecil Thomas, William McMillan and Edward Bowring Stamp. Her portrait shows the young Queen wreathed in a laurel band, looking right, with the legend ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA F:D: — "Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, Queen, Defender of the Faith." The Latin abbreviation F:D: stands for Fidei Defensor, "Defender of the Faith", retained from George VI\'s post-1949 obverse legend.
The Gillick portrait is sometimes called the laureate portrait or simply the first portrait. It appears on every pre-decimal circulation coin from 1953 to 1967 and continues on early decimal proof sets into 1968. From 1968 onwards the Royal Mint transitioned to Arnold Machin\'s second portrait, designed for use on the new larger-format decimal coins. Gillick\'s portrait is widely admired for its softness and youth, capturing Elizabeth II at age 26 at the start of her reign — a deliberate visual contrast to the ageing portrait succession that followed.
Subtle die varieties exist within the Mary Gillick run, particularly in the laurel detail and the truncation of the Queen\'s neckline. Most are minor and don\'t affect price; the "wide laurel" vs "narrow laurel" distinction on certain 1953 issues is the only one that materially moves prices for variety collectors.
The 1953 Coronation issue
The 1953 calendar year was dominated by the Coronation on 2 June 1953. The Royal Mint issued a comprehensive nine-coin proof set covering every pre-decimal denomination, sold in two formats: a smaller plastic case (around 40,000 issued, retail price 30 shillings) and a larger leatherette presentation case (around 1,300 issued, retail 4 guineas). The proof set is one of the most-collected modern British numismatic items.
The Coronation crown (5 shillings face value, 28.28 g, 38.61 mm) carried Edgar Fuller\'s distinctive reverse showing the four floral emblems of the United Kingdom (rose, thistle, leek, shamrock) framing the Royal cipher. Mintage was 5.96 million; circulation specimens are common at £3–£15 today. Silver proof versions sit in the proof set; loose silver proof crowns trade at £50–£120 in original Royal Mint cardboard.
The other 1953 denominations are common in lower grades but UNC examples are scarce because the Coronation was widely commemorated by saving the year\'s circulation. A complete UNC 1953 nine-coin set excluding the proof set runs to £100–£250.
Bronze coinage 1953–1967
The three bronze denominations — farthing, halfpenny and penny — continued the bronze format introduced for Victorian Bun Head pennies in 1860. Specifications were unchanged from the late George VI era: a 9.4 g 30.81 mm penny, a 5.67 g 25.50 mm halfpenny, a 2.83 g 20.30 mm farthing.
The farthing was demonetised in 1960 and the 1956 issue was therefore the final business strike. Mintage figures decline through the run: 6.30 million in 1953, 8.43 million in 1954, 5.78 million in 1955, 1.99 million in 1956. The 1956 farthing is the scarcest of the four years and trades at £6–£25 in UNC.
The halfpenny ran continuously 1953–1967 with mintages typically in the 50–100 million range. Lowest mintages: 1956 (24 million), 1957 (29 million). All are common in circulation grade at face value or just above; UNC examples trade at £3–£12 each.
The penny has the most idiosyncratic history of the three. After the 1953 Coronation issue, no pennies were struck for general circulation 1954–1960 (relying on pre-1953 stocks). Production resumed in 1961 with a 48-million-strike year and continued annually 1961–1967. The 1954 penny is the famous single-specimen pattern (one piece in the Royal Mint Museum, no market price). Annual mintages 1961–1967 were typically 50–160 million; all common in low grade, £5–£25 in UNC.
Cupronickel and silver coinage
Silver had been removed from circulating coinage in 1947 under George VI, replaced with cupronickel (75% copper, 25% nickel). Elizabeth II\'s "silver-look" coinage 1953–1971 is therefore entirely cupronickel by composition, even though the visual appearance closely matches actual silver. The denominations:
- Sixpence (6d). 19.30 mm, 2.83 g. Reverse design by Edgar Fuller showing the crowned floral emblems of the United Kingdom. The 1962 sixpence is the final pre-decimal sixpence circulation issue (1963–1967 also struck but in declining volume); the 1962 is the popular "closing" piece for sixpence collectors.
- Shilling (1/-). 23.60 mm, 5.66 g. Two reverse designs running in parallel: the "English shilling" (three lions passant on a shield, William Gardner) and the "Scottish shilling" (lion rampant). Both were struck for the same year and circulated together. The 1956 English shilling is scarce and trades at £25–£80 in UNC.
- Florin (2/-). 28.50 mm, 11.31 g. Reverse design by Edgar Fuller showing a Tudor double rose framed by thistles, leeks and shamrocks. Continuous production 1953–1967 with mintages of 30–100 million.
- Half crown (2/6). 32.00 mm, 14.14 g. Reverse design by Edgar Fuller showing the crowned royal arms. Final UK half crown issue was 1967; the denomination was demonetised on Decimal Day in 1971.
- Crown (5/-). 38.61 mm, 28.28 g. The largest pre-decimal denomination. Three issues only under Elizabeth II pre-decimal: 1953 Coronation, 1960 British Exhibition in New York, and 1965 Churchill commemorative.
Specially-issued silver proof versions exist for the 1953 Coronation set, the 1965 Churchill crown and a handful of presentation pieces, but these are non-circulation items and trade at significant premium over their cupronickel circulation equivalents.
Key dates and varieties
The pre-decimal Elizabeth II series is broadly common, but a small number of key dates and varieties merit watchful attention. The headline list:
| Coin | Why notable | Approximate UNC value |
|---|---|---|
| 1954 penny pattern | Single-specimen Royal Mint Museum piece; not on market | N/A — museum |
| 1956 farthing | Lowest mintage of the farthing run | £6 — £25 |
| 1956 English shilling | Lower mintage than surrounding years | £25 — £80 |
| 1962 sixpence | Popular "closing" pre-decimal sixpence | £5 — £15 |
| 1965 Churchill crown | Commemorative; high mintage but iconic | £15 — £40 |
| 1953 Coronation proof set (plastic) | 9-coin proof set | £100 — £180 |
| 1953 Coronation proof set (leatherette) | Premium presentation; ~1,300 issued | £180 — £350 |
| 1965 Churchill crown silver proof | Limited silver striking | £200 — £500 |
Mary Gillick vs Arnold Machin vs Ian Rank-Broadley
Pre-decimal Elizabeth II coinage uses Mary Gillick exclusively. To put that in context across the full reign, the five lifetime portraits and their year ranges:
| Portrait | Sculptor | Years used | Era |
|---|---|---|---|
| First (laureate, young) | Mary Gillick | 1953–1968 | Pre-decimal |
| Second (tiara) | Arnold Machin | 1968–1984 | Early decimal |
| Third (regal) | Raphael Maklouf | 1985–1997 | Mid decimal |
| Fourth (mature) | Ian Rank-Broadley | 1998–2015 | Late decimal |
| Fifth (final) | Jody Clark | 2015–2022 | Final reign |
The succession is from a youthful 26-year-old in Gillick\'s 1953 design to the dignified 87-year-old in Clark\'s 2015 design. Each portrait change required new dies for every denomination then in production. Pre-decimal collectors stick to Gillick; decimal-era collectors typically build out the four subsequent portraits.
Pre-decimal vs decimal — collector strategies
Two natural ways to approach Elizabeth II coinage as a complete project:
- Pre-decimal-only. A defined, completable set across nine denominations and eighteen calendar years. Same portrait throughout. Modest budget (£300–£800 for an UNC complete set), achievable timeline (a year or two of attentive sourcing). Ideal as a first historical-coin project. The 1953 Coronation set forms a natural keystone.
- Cross-portrait full reign. Build a representative example of every circulating coin under every Elizabeth II portrait, from the 1953 farthing to the 2022 memorial crown. Larger scope (50+ coins minimum), more variety, more cost (£1,500–£5,000+ depending on grade target), and the satisfaction of spanning the longest reign in British history.
Whichever direction you take, the pre-decimal segment is the historically dense heart of the collection. The Mary Gillick portrait is unique in showing the Queen at the start of her reign, and the nine-denomination range is unmatched by any later era.
Realised price ranges by denomination and grade
| Denomination | VG | F | VF | EF | UNC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farthing 1953–1956 | £1 — £3 | £1 — £4 | £2 — £7 | £3 — £12 | £5 — £25 |
| Halfpenny 1953–1967 | £0.50 — £2 | £1 — £3 | £1 — £4 | £2 — £6 | £3 — £12 |
| Penny 1961–1967 | £0.50 — £2 | £1 — £3 | £2 — £5 | £3 — £10 | £5 — £25 |
| Threepence 1953–1967 | £1 — £3 | £1 — £4 | £2 — £6 | £3 — £12 | £5 — £25 |
| Sixpence 1953–1967 | £1 — £3 | £1 — £4 | £2 — £5 | £3 — £10 | £5 — £15 |
| Shilling 1953–1966 (Eng/Scot) | £1 — £4 | £2 — £6 | £3 — £10 | £5 — £20 | £10 — £40 |
| Florin 1953–1967 | £1 — £3 | £2 — £5 | £3 — £8 | £5 — £15 | £10 — £30 |
| Half crown 1953–1967 | £2 — £5 | £3 — £8 | £5 — £15 | £10 — £30 | £18 — £60 |
| Crown 1953 / 1960 / 1965 | £3 — £8 | £5 — £12 | £8 — £20 | £15 — £35 | £25 — £80 |
Ranges are realised retail figures from UK coin dealers and auction sales over 24 months. Years flagged as key dates above sit at the upper end of each grade band.
Related coins on MyCoinage
Browse every Elizabeth II coin in the catalogue →
Related guides
- Elizabeth II Coins Value Guide — full reign across pre-decimal and decimal eras.
- Elizabeth II Sovereign Values — the gold sovereign companion series.
- Pre-Decimal Coins Guide — the full pre-decimal British system explained.
- Half Crown Values UK — deep-dive on the 2/6 denomination.
- Florin Values UK — the 2-shilling florin series.
- Sixpence Values UK — the lucky sixpence in detail.
- Shilling Values UK — English and Scottish reverse varieties.
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