Introduction
The Elizabeth II Penny was struck from 1953 to 1967 in bronze, continuing the large format penny that had been part of British coinage since the early nineteenth century. This page provides an overview of the Elizabeth II Penny series, including obverse varieties, key dates, and year-by-year reference images.
The Elizabeth II penny is a deceptively challenging series for the condition collector. Several dates — most notably 1954 — are genuinely rare in any grade, while others are common in circulated condition but extremely difficult to find in true mint state. The series also includes the curious 1953 Coronation issue, struck in two obverse types and now largely known from the original presentation sets.
- 1953 – Two obverses recorded; the Coronation year penny was issued primarily in the plastic presentation set and is rarely found in circulation grades.
- 1954 – The key date of the series; genuinely scarce across all grades.
- 1955–1967 – Annual production with varying mintage levels; high-grade examples from the mid-1950s are condition rarities.
Although the 1961 is marginally scarcer, insist on nothing less than blazing BU for any of these coins.
Coinage Details
Design — The obverse throughout the series carries the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Mary Gillick. The reverse continues the long-running seated Britannia design used on British pennies since the eighteenth century, with Britannia facing right and holding a trident, the lighthouse visible to her left and a ship on the horizon to her right. The reverse was designed by a team at the Royal Mint under the direction of the Master of the Mint.
1953 — Two obverses are recorded for the Coronation penny, identifiable by differences in the position of key letters relative to the border beads and the sharpness of the portrait's relief. Obverse 2 is the scarcer type in high grade; most uncirculated pennies from 1953 are Obverse 1 pieces ex presentation set.
1954 — The 1954 penny is the undisputed key date of the Elizabeth II bronze series. Mintage was low and the coin was not widely saved, making it scarce in all grades and genuinely rare in uncirculated condition.
1955–1967 — Annual production continued, with mintage figures varying considerably year to year. The penny was withdrawn at decimalisation in February 1971, replaced by the new decimal halfpenny and penny at different face values.
Elizabeth II Penny Issues
1953
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
Specifications
| Years Issued |
1953–1967 |
| Diameter |
30.8 mm |
| Weight |
9.45 g |
| Edge |
Plain |
| Alloy |
1953 - Cu:95.5%, Sn:3%, Zn:1.5% |
1961 to 1967 - Alloy: Cu:97%, Sn:0.5%, Zn:2.5% |
| Obverse Designer |
Mary Gillick |
| Reverse Designer |
Charles Walter Coombes |
