THREEPENNY PIECE

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 69, 18 September 1936, Page 9

THREEPENNY PIECE

ISSUE IN BRITAIN MINT PROPOSAL TO TREASURY (Received September 18, 9.20 a.m.) LONDON, September 17. The Royal Mint authorities have submitted to the Treasury proposals for the issue of a threepennypiece. If this is sanctioned by Royal Proclamation the coin will be issued shortly. It will be made of metal not previously used in British coinage, but it will not be silver, bronze, or nickel. The coin will be slightly larger than a sixpence.

Its fate will depend on the public; it may prove popular or it may share the fate of the old four-shilling piece. The object of the new coin is to avoid the use of heavy coppers.

The 3d piece is shown in "Whitaker's Almanack" as part of the British coinage structure and containing- 21.81818 grains of silver standard weight. According to Mr. Allan, Sutherland, the well-known Wellington numismatist, the coin has been unpopular because, „Mr. Sutherland thinks, it has been held to be too small. However, it has been circulated fairiy freely . in Scotland. Reference to a new metal raises the question of the colour of the coin, and it is possible that, to differentiate it from a sixpence, it may be made yellow. Mr. Sutherland states that yellow metal coins are already minted in France.