✅ SOLVED Token/Coin

[Shady Digger]

Dug this on a short hunt this evening. Pretty sure it's a token of some kind but I guess it could be a coin? One side has a bust facing left and both sides have writing. The proerty dates to 1934 if that helps any. I put it next to a Lincoln for scale.

 

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[Shady Digger]

Dug this on a short hunt this evening. Pretty sure it's a token of some kind but I guess it could be a coin? One side has a bust facing left and both sides have writing. The proerty dates to 1934 if that helps any. I put it next to a Lincoln for scale.View attachment 1847842View attachment 1847843View attachment 1847844

Solved it myself. British Half Penny! Date unknown. Was able to clean it up a bit more and could barely make out 'Half Penny' around the top. Then was able to find it online.

 

[Red-Coat]

That's a British George VI halfpenny.

You can just make out the ship on the reverse with a bit of enhancement:




Addition: Sorry, our posts crossed while I was retrieving a picture.

 

[Anduril]

Now the "REAL" mystery...
What can a half-penny buy these days?

 

[Red-Coat]

Now the "REAL" mystery...
What can a half-penny buy these days?

Those were de-monetised in 1969 and the decimal new halfpenny was then de-monetised in 1984 following years of unpopularity. The Treasury maintained a defence that it was important in terms of controlling inflation to prevent prices being rounded up, but it ultimately became more expensive to produce than its face value. In the event, some prices were rounded up and some rounded down; dog licences went from 37 ½ pence to 37 pence for example.

Its interesting that it still features in our slang with phrases such as “won’t make a ha’porth [halfpennyworth] of difference” (a futile effort) and “keep your hand on your ha’penny [halfpenny]”. The latter is often misunderstood as a warning to be vigilant in rough neighbourhoods but was popularised in music hall days as a euphemism for young girls to guard their valuables of another kind when going on a date with a young man.

 

[Shady Digger]

Cleaned is a bit more today and was able to see the date. 1940! My guess is that it was brought back from the war by a soldier. Very cool! Definitely the last thing I expected to find yesterday.