Content:
Obverse: Laureate portrait of Queen Elizabeth II facing right, legend ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA F:D: by Mary Gillick.
Reverse: A detailed floral design combining the national emblems of the United Kingdom — the rose (England), thistle (Scotland), shamrock (Ireland), and leek (Wales) — symbolizing unity across the realm.
Composition: Cupro-nickel.
Weight: ~2.83 g.
Diameter: 19.3 mm.
Mint: The Royal Mint, London.
Historical Insight:
The sixpence held deep sentimental value in British culture — often slipped into wedding shoes “for luck” or saved as Christmas pudding coins. During the late 1950s and 1960s, these small silver-colored coins circulated widely, bridging the traditional and modern eras of British currency. The 1967 issue was the last regular sixpence struck for circulation, closing a historic lineage that stretched back to Tudor times.
Collecting Note:
Collectors admire these late Elizabeth II sixpences for their clean, symmetrical floral design — a dignified farewell to a denomination that had become part of daily life and folklore. Bright, well-struck examples with sharp details of the emblems are especially sought after.
Verified π¬π§ United Kingdom β Monarchs and Milestones 6 Pence 1957
Owner: Babushka