🪙 About the 1942 UK Threepence

This coin was minted during World War II, a time when the UK transitioned from silver to nickel-brass coinage due to resource shortages. The twelve-sided brass threepence was not only practical — easier to identify by touch — but also symbolic of the country's adaptability during crisis.

Specifications:

• Monarch: George VI

• Years of Issue: 1937–1948 (nickel-brass series)

• Composition: Nickel-brass

• Weight: 6.8 grams

• Diameter: 21 mm

• Shape: Dodecagonal (12-sided)

• Edge: Plain

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

• Reverse: Crowned portcullis with denomination THREE PENCE and the date

🔍 Historical Insight

The 1942 threepence reflects both British innovation and economic adaptation during war. Its bold design, introduced just before the outbreak of WWII, helped distinguish it in the dark — an invaluable feature during frequent blackout periods.

By 1942, these coins were circulating widely — in the pockets of factory workers, ration queues, and even soldiers heading to the front. Each surviving coin is a small piece of that history.

🧭 Collecting Note

While not rare in itself, the brass threepence offers excellent historical context for collectors. Finding it in a bulk lot makes the experience even more authentic — a miniature treasure hunt through 20th-century world coinage.

Now part of your growing collection, this coin carries not just its national story, but the personal narrative of discovery within a kilo of forgotten currency.