George VI Penny

Quite a complex little series, with three obverse designs and four reverses.

Specifications:
Diameter: 31mm
Weight: 9.4g

Alloys:
Cu: 95.5%, Sn: 3%, Zn: 1.5% (1937–1940, and 1947–1951)
Cu: 97%, Sn: 0.5%, Zn: 2.5% (1944–1946) — Reduced tin content, probably due to the loss of the Malaysian tin mines during the War.

In addition to the design changes, the Mint artificially darkened the pennies dated 1944, 1945, and 1946 to counter the tendency of the reduced tin alloy to turn pink after circulation. Some coins escaped this process in each of these years, but it is not easy to positively identify them unless the coin is in mint state.

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George VI Penny – Rarity

Year	1937			1938	1939	1940		1944		1946		1945	1947	1948	1949	1950	1951
Obv	1	1	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	3	3	3
Rev	A	B	B	B	B	B	C	C	C*	C*	C*-dot	C*	C*	C*	C*	C*	C*
Freeman	C11	C8	C14	C19	C16	C2	C13	C14	C14	C17	Footnote	C18	C16	C17	C7	R3	R4

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Obverses

1 (1937 only)	2 (1937–1948)	3 (1949–1951)
■ P of IMP at a tooth ■ I of IMP to the left of a tooth ■ ':' before IMP nearly at a tooth ■ Dot after IMP is small	■ P of IMP to the right of a tooth ■ I of IMP to the right of a tooth ■ ':' before IMP between teeth ■ Dot after IMP is slarger	■ IND:IMP omitted from legend ■ F:D: replaced by FIDEI DEF. ■ lettering slightly larger ■ HP slightly larger

Reverses

A (1937 only)	B (1937–1940)	C (1940 & 1944)	C* (1944–1951)
■ Right leg of 2nd N in PENNY at a tooth ■ Sea level on right at a tooth ■ Longer teeth	■ Right leg of both Ns in PENNY between teeth ■ Sea level on right slightly above a tooth ■ Shorter teeth ■ Single exergue line	■ Double exergue line ■ Waves touch exergue line	■ Waves above exergue line

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George VI Penny Mintage Figures

Mintage Numbers & Values

1937: 88,896,000 1938: 121,560,000 1939: 55,560,000 1940: 42,284,400 1944: 42,600,000 1945: 79,531,200 1946: 66,355,600 1947: 52,220,400 1948: 63,961,200 1949: 14,324,400 1950: 240,000 1951: 120,000

Coin Production & Circulation Notes

In order to reduce the excessive quantity of pennies in circulation, and to encourage the take up of the new brass threepence, penny production was suspended in 1940.  Mass production was resumed in 1944, but the Mint had some difficulty balancing supply and demand for pennies in the years after the War.  In May 1949, issue to the UK was halted, but coins dated 1949 were held in stock and continued to be released until 1956. 

1950 and 1951 pennies were produced in very small quantities and were issued to the Colonies.  Quick thinking speculators in Bermuda realised that the entire 1951 issue had been sent to them, and began shipping them home again to collectors - consequently, very few 1951 pennies entered circulation and most are still found in very high grade.

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1937

Abundance percentages are from the V.R.Court penny survey published in Coin Monthly, Aug 1972.

1937 Penny Varieties

Obverse	Variety / %	Reverse
	1+A 36.9%
	1+B 20.2%
	2+B 42.9%

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1938

1938 Penny

Obverse	Reverse

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1939

1939 Penny

Obverse	Reverse

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1940

1940 Penny Varieties

Obverse	Variety / %	Reverse
	2+B Single exergue line 11.6%
	2+C Double exergue line 88.4%

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1944

Note the differing positions of the last 4 in the date, relative to the wave above.

1944 Penny Varieties

Obverse	Variety / %	Reverse
	2+C 83.4%
	2+C* 16.6%

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1945

1945 Penny

Obverse	Reverse

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1946

1946 Penny

Obverse	Reverse

1946 Dot Penny (die flaw)

Obverse	Note / Closeup	Reverse
	Dot penny Although not a genuine variety by any definition, the “dot” penny die flaw has crept into most reference books, so it is included here. It can be difficult to spot on low grade coins. V.R.Court: 0.58%

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1947

1947 Penny

Obverse	Reverse

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1948

1948 Penny

Obverse	Reverse

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1949

In common with all George VI denominations, and as a result of Indian independence, IND:IMP is omitted from 1949 onward. Sometimes this required a design change, but on the Penny, only the obverse inscription was altered.

1949 Penny

Obverse	Reverse

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1950

1950 Penny

Obverse	Reverse

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1951

1951 Penny

Obverse	Reverse

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