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3 Pence - Elizabeth II 1st portrait
| Issuer | Royal Mint (London) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1955-1967 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Right-facing crowned effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, wearing the George IV State Diadem, with a draped bust, engraved by Cecil Thomas after the first definitive portrait of the queen. The hair is styled in a formal upswept arrangement beneath the ornate crown. The circular legend reads QUEEN ELIZABETH THE SECOND, distributed around the periphery of the dodecagonal flan. |
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| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
The nickel-brass threepenny bit had been introduced in 1937 specifically to replace the tiny silver threepence, which was widely disliked for its habit of disappearing into coat linings and being mistaken for sixpences. By the time Elizabeth II's first portrait appeared on the series, the twelve-sided coin had become a fixture of everyday British life — particularly associated with the Christmas pudding tradition, where one was baked inside as a charm for the finder.
Production ended in 1967 as decimalisation planning made the denomination redundant. It ceased to be legal tender in August 1971.