What is "halfpenny"

halfpenny \half"pen*ny\, half-penny \half"-pen*ny\(h[=a]"p[e^]n*n[y^] or h[aum]f"-; 277), n.;pl. Half-pence (-pens) or Half-pennies(-p[e^]n*n[i^]z). An English coin of the value of half a penny, no longer minted; also, the value of half a penny.

Syn: ha'penny.

mid-13c. (though implied in Old English healfpenigwurð "halfpenny-worth"); see half + penny.

a. Costing or worth one halfpenny. n. 1 (''plural:'' '''halfpennies''') (context historical English) A discontinued British coin worth half of one penny (old or new). 2 (''plural:'' '''halfpence''') A quantity of money worth half a penny.

n. an English coin worth half a penny [syn: ha'penny]

The British decimal halfpenny (½p) coin was introduced in February 1971, at the time of decimalisation, and was worth one two-hundredth of a pound sterling. It was ignored in banking transactions, which were carried out in units of 1p.

The decimal halfpenny had the same value as 1.2 pre-decimal pence, and was introduced to enable the prices of some low-value items to be more accurately translated to the new decimal currency. The possibility of setting prices including an odd half penny also made it more practical to retain the pre-decimal sixpence in circulation (with a value of 2½ new pence) alongside the new decimal coinage.

The halfpenny coin's obverse featured the profile of Queen Elizabeth II; the reverse featured an image of St Edward's Crown. It was minted in bronze (like the 1p and 2p coins). It was the smallest decimal coin in both size and value. The size was in proportion to the 1p and 2p coins. It soon became Britain's least favourite coin. The Treasury had continued to argue that the halfpenny was important in the fight against inflation (preventing prices from being rounded up); however in 1984 the halfpenny was issued by the Royal Mint only in mint and proof sets, and the coin was demonetised and withdrawn from circulation in December 1984.

The British pre-decimal halfpenny (½d) coin, usually simply known as a halfpenny (pronounced ), was a unit of currency that equalled half of a penny or 1/480th of a pound sterling. Originally the halfpenny was minted in copper, but after 1860 it was minted in bronze. It ceased to be legal tender in 1969, in the run-up to decimalisation. The halfpenny featured two different designs on its reverse during its years in circulation. From 1672 until 1936 the image of Britannia appeared on the reverse, and from 1937 onwards the image of the Golden Hind appeared. Like all British coinage, it bore the portrait of the monarch on the obverse.

"Halfpenny" was colloquially written ha’penny, and "1½d" was spoken as "a penny ha’penny" or three ha'pence . Before Decimal Day in 1971 there were 240 pence in one pound sterling. Twelve pence made a shilling, and twenty shillings made a pound. Values less than a pound were usually written in terms of shillings and pence, e.g. 42 pence would be three shillings and six pence (3/6), pronounced "three and six". Values of less than a shilling were simply written in pence, e.g. eightpence would be 8d.

The halfpenny (d) coin was the second smallest denomination of the pre-decimal Irish pound, worth of a pound or of a shilling. First issued in 1928 it ceased to be legal tender on 1 August 1969.

The coin measured in diameter and weighed 5.66990 grams. The bronze coin was made up of 95.5% copper, 3% tin and 1.5% zinc. This was identical to the British halfpenny as both countries' pounds were pegged until 1979.

The reverse design was by Percy Metcalfe, an English artist. The artist was given the choice of a boar, a sow or a ram, and the sow was chosen. The obverse featured the Irish harp. From 1928 to 1937 the date was split either side of the harp with the name Saorstát Éireann circling around. From 1938 to 1969 the inscription changed to Éire on the left of the harp and the date on the right.

The Australian Halfpenny was a coin used in the Commonwealth of Australia prior to decimalisation. The coin was first minted in 1911 and minting ceased in 1964, excluding 1937, 1956–1958 inclusive. When the Australian currency was decimalised on 14 February 1966 the coin was equal to ¢.

Counting the known mintages of proofs, a total of 422,882,890 (422 million) coins of the denomination were minted during its existence.

Halfpenny is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:

• Ben Halfpenny, English rugby league footballer of the 1920s and '30s
• Chelsea Halfpenny (born 1991), English actress
• Jill Halfpenny, English actress
• Leigh Halfpenny, Welsh rugby footballer
• William Halfpenny, English 18th-century architectural designer

The decimal halfpenny (p) coin was the smallest denomination of the Irish pound. It was first issued when the Irish currency was decimalised on Decimal Day, 15 February 1971. It was one of three new designs introduced all in bronze and featuring ornamental birds on the reverse. The coin value was weakened by inflation and very few were produced beyond the initial run for 1971. It was removed from circulation and demonetised on 1 January 1987.

The main reason that halfpennies were issued was that when shillings were decimalised they were worth five new pence, so a sixpence (half of a shilling) yielded a value of new pence.

Its dimensions and appearance were the same as the British coin of the same denomination as the pounds of Britain and Ireland were pegged until 1979.

The coin was designed by the Irish artist Gabriel Hayes and the design is adapted from the manuscript Cologne Collectio Canonum (Cologne, Dombibliothek Cod. 213) in Cologne. The coin has a diameter of 1.7145 centimetres and mass of 1.782 grams consisting of copper, tin and zinc.

The coin was worth of an Irish pound.

The 1985 version of this coin is particularly rare, and valuable to coin collectors - the vast majority of the 2.8 million were melted in 1987. The 1986 coin was only produced for the 1986 specimen sets and is also rare.