Three halfpence (English coin) facts for kids
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The English three halfpence was a small silver coin used in England a long time ago. It was worth one and a half pennies. This coin was first made when Elizabeth I was Queen, between the years 1561 and 1582. It was part of a plan to make many different types of coins that had a lot of real silver in them.
Contents
What Did the Coin Look Like?
The three halfpence coin had two sides, just like coins today.
The Front (Obverse)
The front side of the coin, called the obverse, showed a picture of Queen Elizabeth I. She was facing to the left. Behind her head, there was a rose. Around the edge of the coin, there was some Latin writing that said: "E D G ROSA SINE SPINA". This means "Elizabeth, by the grace of God, a rose without a thorn." This phrase showed that the Queen was seen as pure and special.
The Back (Reverse)
The back side of the coin, called the reverse, showed the royal coat of arms. This is like a special symbol or shield that represents the royal family. The year the coin was made was written above these arms. There was also a small mark, called a mintmark, at the start of the writing around the edge. This writing said: "CIVITAS LONDON", which means "City of London." This told people that the coin was made at the Tower Mint in London.
How Big Was It?
The three halfpence coin was quite small. It looked a lot like two other coins from that time: the English Three Farthing coin and the Threepence coin. The main difference was their size.
- A three halfpence coin was about 16 millimeters wide.
- The three farthings coin was even smaller, about 14 millimeters wide.
- The threepence coin was bigger, about 19 millimeters wide (though some early ones from 1561 were 21 millimeters).
This meant you had to look closely to tell them apart!
Why Did They Stop Making It?
No more three halfpence coins were made after 1582. This was probably because later kings, like King James I and King Charles I, started making lots of other small coins, such as halfpennies and farthings. With plenty of those smaller coins available, the three halfpence coin was no longer needed.
