Coin

½ Penny - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; without 'BRITT:OMN' (1967) — United Kingdom

United Kingdom • 1967 • KM#896, Sp#4158

½ Penny - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; without 'BRITT:OMN' (1967) — United Kingdom

Overview

A British ½ Penny coin from 1967, part of the Elizabeth II series. This is the first portrait without 'BRITT:OMN'.

Specifications

Country
United Kingdom
Year
1967
Composition
Bronze
Weight
5.67 g
Diameter
25.4 mm
Thickness
1.3 mm
Mint
Royal Mint (Tower Hill) & Royal Mint, Llantrisant, United Kingdom
Shape
Round
Technique
Milled
References
KM#896, Sp#4158
Issuer
United Kingdom

Design details

Obverse

Young laureate bust of Queen Elizabeth II facing right, with the legend '+ELIZABETH·II·DEI·GRATIA·REGINA·F:D:' around.

Reverse

A three-masted ship (the Golden Hind) sailing left, with 'HALF PENNY' above and the date '1967' below.

Collector insights

  • Design heritage: Mary Gillick (obverse), Thomas Humphrey Paget (reverse) is credited as the designer for the Standard circulation coins series. Designer attribution helps distinguish this issue from later restrikes or unofficial copies that reuse only the motif.
  • Struck at: Royal Mint (Tower Hill) & Royal Mint, Llantrisant, United Kingdom . Confirm the mintmark on your example before comparing prices — same-year issues from different mints often trade at very different levels.
  • Mintage vs. survival: Reported mintage of 146,490,400 is high, but circulation attrition, currency-reform meltdowns, and low collector-preservation rates mean uncirculated (MS-63+) examples are meaningfully scarcer than the raw figure suggests. Check third-party population reports (PCGS/NGC) for realistic survival in top grades.
  • Catalogue reference: Listed as KM#896, Sp#4158. Use this reference code when cross-checking auction archives, dealer inventories, and standard printed catalogues.

Curator Insights

Historical context

The 1967 half penny marks the final major production year of the pre-decimal series before the United Kingdom's transition to a decimal currency system in February 1971. Although the denomination was officially demonetized in 1969, the vast quantities produced in 1967 were intended to ensure sufficient coinage remained in circulation during the preparatory stages of the changeover. This issue lacks the 'BRITT:OMN' title in the legend, a change implemented across British coinage following the independence movements within the Commonwealth during the early 1950s.

Design heritage

The obverse features the young laureate portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Mary Gillick, which was the standard image for the first era of her reign. The reverse displays Francis Drake's ship, the Golden Hind, as rendered by Thomas Humphrey Paget, an artist renowned for his work on the George VI coinage. The pairing of these two artists reflects the bridge between traditional British numismatic styles and the mid-century modern aesthetic.

Varieties and technical notes

Collectors should observe the quality of the strike on the ship’s rigging and the sharpness of the legend's lettering. While no major structural die varieties are documented for this specific year, specimens may show varying degrees of original mint luster ranging from red to brown. As the coin features a plain edge, edge nicks and planchet marks are common due to the high mintage and bulk handling during the era.

Survival and modern availability

With a mintage exceeding 146 million, this date is the most common of the Elizabeth II pre-decimal half pennies. While many were returned to the Royal Mint for melting following demonetization in August 1969, the sheer volume of production ensures that high-grade examples remain readily available for collectors. Survival rates in Mint State are high because many rolls were set aside by the public as souvenirs of the outgoing currency system.

More from United Kingdom

Other ½ Penny - Elizabeth II 1st portrait; without 'BRITT:OMN' issues

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