Threepence (British coin)

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Threepence" British coin – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (July 2007) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Threepence

United Kingdom
Value	£0.0125
Mass	Silver: 1.415 g Nickel-brass: 6.8 g
Diameter	Silver: 16.20 mm Nickel-brass: 21.0–21.8 mm
Thickness	Nickel-brass: 2.5 mm
Edge	Plain
Composition	1816–1919: 92.5% Ag 1920–1945: 50% Ag 1937–1970: Nickel-brass (79% Cu, 20% Zn, 1% Ni)
Years of minting	1547–1970
Obverse
Design	Profile of the monarch
Reverse
Design	Various

The British threepence piece, usually simply known as a threepence, thruppence, or thruppenny bit, was a denomination of sterling coinage worth 1⁄80 of one pound or 1⁄4 of one shilling. It was used in the United Kingdom, and earlier in Great Britain and England. Similar denominations were later used throughout the British Empire and Commonwealth countries, notably in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

The sum of three pence was pronounced variously /ˈθrʊpɛns/ THRUUP-ənss, /ˈθrɛpəns/ THREP-ənss or /ˈθrʌpəns/ THRUP-ənss, reflecting different pronunciations in the various regions of the United Kingdom. The coin was often referred to in conversation as a /ˈθrʊpni/ THRUUP-nee, /ˈθrɛpni/ THREP-nee or /ˈθrʌpni/ THRUP-nee bit. Before Decimal Day in 1971, sterling used the Carolingian monetary system, under which the largest unit was a pound divided into 20 shillings, each of 12 pence. The threepence coin was withdrawn in 1971 due to decimalisation and replaced by the decimal new penny, with 2.4d being worth 1p.