Identify a UK Coin by Weight
Got an unidentified coin and a kitchen scale? Enter the grams below and we'll instantly match it against 4,700+ British coins from 1066 to 2026. UK denominations have very distinctive weights — most are unique to ±0.05 g, so weight alone usually narrows it to one or two coins. Built for metal detector finds, inherited collections and worn coins where the date is illegible. Free, no sign-up.
Common UK coin weight reference
Quick-reference table for typical UK coin specifications. Slight variation (±0.05g) is normal across production batches — don't expect perfectly exact weights from circulated coins.
| Coin | Weight | Composition |
|---|---|---|
| Modern 1p (1992+) | 3.56g | Copper-plated steel |
| Modern 2p (1992+) | 7.12g | Copper-plated steel |
| Pre-1992 bronze 1p | 3.56g | Bronze alloy |
| Pre-1992 bronze 2p | 7.12g | Bronze alloy |
| Modern 5p (2012+) | 3.25g | Nickel-plated steel |
| Modern 10p (2012+) | 6.50g | Nickel-plated steel |
| 20p | 5.00g | Cupronickel |
| Modern 50p (1997+) | 8.00g | Cupronickel |
| Pre-1997 large 50p | 13.50g | Cupronickel |
| £1 round (1983-2017) | 9.50g | 70/24.5/5.5 brass alloy |
| £1 12-sided (2017+) | 8.75g | Bimetal nickel-brass / nickel-plated alloy |
| £2 bimetal (1997+) | 12.00g | Cupronickel inner / nickel-brass outer |
| Sovereign | 7.98g | 22 carat gold |
| Half sovereign | 3.99g | 22 carat gold |
| Britannia 1 oz silver | 31.10g | 999 silver |
| Britannia 1 oz gold | 31.10g | 9999 gold (post-2013) |
| Crown (pre-1947) | 28.28g | Sterling/.500 silver |
| Half crown (pre-1947) | 14.14g | Sterling/.500 silver |
| Florin (pre-1947) | 11.31g | Sterling/.500 silver |
| Shilling (pre-1947) | 5.66g | Sterling/.500 silver |
| Sixpence (pre-1947) | 2.83g | Sterling/.500 silver |
Tips for accurate measurement
- Use a scale that reads to 0.01g — kitchen scales reading only to 1g aren't precise enough for coin ID.
- Calibrate the scale first with a known weight (a 1p coin should read 3.56g). If it's off, weighed coins will be too.
- Wipe the coin lightly if it's dirty — heavy patina or dirt can add 0.05-0.1g.
- Worn or clipped coins weigh less than mint-spec. A heavily-worn pre-decimal silver shilling can be 0.3g lighter than nominal.
- Compare against the reference table. If the weight matches a denomination but not the year, check year-by-year specs — alloys changed several times (silver to .500 in 1920, copper to bronze in 1860, bronze to plated steel in 1992).
Other identification tools
- Decision-tree coin identifier — better when you have a clear date and design
- Silver melt calculator
- UK coin grading guide
- Coin errors catalogue
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