🪙 About the 1951 UK Sixpence

The sixpence, colloquially known as a "tanner", was a beloved denomination in British pre-decimal coinage. The 1951 issue came just a year before the death of King George VI, adding a sense of finality to its historical context.

Specifications:

• Monarch: George VI

• Composition: Cupronickel

• Weight: 2.83 grams

• Diameter: 19.3 mm

• Edge: Milled

• Obverse: Portrait of George VI with the inscription GEORGIVS VI D:G:BR:OMN:REX

• Reverse: Crowned GR monogram flanked by oak branches with acorns, inscription: SIXPENCE 1951

🕰 Historical Insight

The year 1951 marked the tail end of George VI’s reign, with Britain still transitioning from the turmoil of WWII. The coin reflects a nation steadying itself during recovery. Although sixpences no longer held silver by this time, they remained a symbol of continuity and national identity.

🧭 Collecting Note

Finding this coin in a mixed eBay lot adds an element of surprise and narrative — not just a transaction, but a rediscovery. As one of the last sixpences struck under George VI, it represents both nostalgia and historical transition.

Now preserved in your collection, it carries a quiet dignity — a relic from a changing Britain and a token of your collecting journey.