1933 British half penny

1933 British half penny

This coin is not as expensive as1933 one penny. But it is still collectible.

Condition:see picture

Price:RM25

History of the 1933 one Penny

There was no requirement for the Mint to produce any pennies in 1933 because there were already enough in circulation. Requests were, however, received for sets of coins dated 1933 to be placed under the foundation stones of buildings erected in that year, and the Mint obliged by striking a small number of coins. The result was to create a rarity that many people thought could turn up in their change. This became particularly apparent during the run up to the UK's decimalisation on 15 February, 1971.
The precise number struck was not recorded at the time but it is now thought to be certainly fewer than ten and probably seven. The surviving 1933 pennies are to be found in the Mint Museum, the British Museum, the University of London, three in private collections and one which was stolen - see list below.
It has been reported that one example had been placed under the foundation stone of St. Mary’s Church, Hawksworth Wood, Kirkstall, Leeds, England. Three documented examples had been placed in foundation stones of buildings erected in 1933. In September 1970, during construction at Church of St. Cross, Middleton, one of these examples was stolen by thieves who managed to remove the coin from the church's cornerstone. In response, the Bishop of Ripon ordered that the St. Mary's Church 1933 Penny be unearthed and sold as a protective measure to prevent its theft. It was sold at Sotheby's Auction house on 24 November 1972.

The seven known examples of the 1933 penny are located in:
British Museum (a 'circulation' penny)
Royal Mint Museum at Llantrisant in South Wales (a 'circulation' penny)
One held in private hands (ex L A Lawrence, P G Smith and Mrs E M Norweb) (a 'circulation' penny)
Under the foundation stone of the University of London Building in Bloomsbury, London (a 'proof' penny)
One held in private hands. Ex St. Mary's Church, Hawksworth Wood, Kirkstall, Leeds. (Ex Sotheby 1972 in private hands ever since) (a 'proof' penny)
Whereabouts unknown, previously under the foundation stone of the Church of St Cross, Middleton - part of a 1933 year set which was stolen in August 1970 (a 'proof' penny)
One held in private hands in the UK (Ex Glendinings 1969 and in private collections ever since (a 'circulation' penny)