Coins of England and Great Britain

('Coins of the UK')

by Tony Clayton

Decimal Ten Pence

Decimal Five Pence <<-- : -->> Decimal Twenty Pence

Values of Decimal Ten Pence Coins
Pictures of Decimal Ten Pence Coins

The ten pence coin initially weighed 11.31 grams and had a diameter of 28.50 mm, identical in this respect to the florin, and also minted in cupronickel.

In 1992 a smaller version was introduced weighing 6.50 g and with a diameter of 24.50 mm, just slightly larger than the old 5 pence coin which had been withdrawn a year or two before.

In 2011 the metal was changed to nickel-plated steel. As the density of steel is less than that of cupronickel, these coins are slightly thicker than previously but have the same diameter and weight.

Proof coins were issued in sets every year from 1971 onwards.

There are nine definitive types of this coin, plus a further 26 featuring the letters of the alphabet. The first six types were struck in cupronickel.

1. First large type.

   Obv: First Portrait, inscription ELIZABETH II D G REG F D (date) starting top right
   Rev: Lion Passant Guardant, 10 below, NEW PENCE above
   Issued from 1968 to 1981 (1972 and 1978 in Proof only)

2. Second large type.

   Obv: First Portrait, inscription ELIZABETH II D G REG F D (date) starting top right
   Rev: Lion Passant Guardant, 10 below, TEN PENCE above
   Issued from 1982 to 1984 (All only obtainable from Mint and Proof sets)

3. Third large type.

   Obv: Second Portrait, inscription ELIZABETH II D G REG F D (date) starting low left
   Rev: Lion Passant Guardant, 10 below, TEN PENCE above
   Issued from 1985 to 1992 (All only obtainable from Mint and Proof sets).
   Proofs: silver in 1992.

4. First small type.

   Obv: Second Portrait, inscription ELIZABETH II D G REG F D (date) starting low left
   Rev: Lion Passant Guardant, 10 below, TEN PENCE above
   Issued from 1992 to 1997. 1993 and 1994 coins only obtainable from Mint and Proof sets.
   Proofs: silver in 1992 and 1996; silver piedfort in 1992.

5. Second small type.

   Obv: Third Portrait, inscription ELIZABETH II D G REG F D (date) starting low left. Initials IRB below bust.
   Rev: Lion Passant Guardant, 10 below, TEN PENCE above
   Issued from 1998 to 2008. No coins of this type dated 1998 or 1999 entered circulation, but they are available in mint sets. The 2008 coin of this type had only 9,720,000 struck.
   Proofs: silver in 2000, 2006 and 2008; gold in 2002 and 2008; platinum in 2008.

6. Third small type.

   Obv: Third Portrait, inscription ELIZABETH II D G REG F D (date) starting low left. Initials IRB below bust. No beading.
   Rev: Top left corner of the Royal Arms, TEN PENCE above
   Issued from 2008 to 2010, all in circulation.
   Proofs: silver 2008 to 2010; gold in 2008; platinum in 2008; silver piedfort in 2008.

7. Fourth small type.

   Obv: Third Portrait, inscription ELIZABETH II D G REG F D (date) starting low left. Initials IRB below bust. No beading.
   Rev:Top left corner of the Royal Arms, TEN PENCE above
   Struck in plated steel.
   First issued in 2011. 2011 to 2015 all seen in circulation.

8. Fifth small type.

   Obv: Fourth Portrait, inscription ELIZABETH II DEI GRA REG FID DEF (date) starting at the top. Initials J.C below bust. No beading.
   Rev: Top left corner of the Royal Arms, TEN PENCE above
   Struck in plated steel.
   Issued from 2015 to 2022. 2018 and 2019 only available in mint sets as none were minted for circulation; all 10p coins of those dates being from the alphabet series (see below).
   

9. New King Charles III design.

   Obv: Charles III facing left, inscription CHARLES III DEI GRA REX FID DEF (date) starting low left. Initials MJ below bust. No beading.
   Coins from the 2023 sets have a crown privy mark behind the bust.
   Rev: Capercaillie, at right, 10 PENCE to left against a background of a triple C motif.
   Plated steel, first issued from 2023. 2024 not yet seen in circulation, but available in mint sets. The 2023 coin had only 600,000 minted for circulation.

The full designation of the 1968-2008 reverse is 'Part of the crest of England, a lion passant guardant royally crowned'. It was designed by Christopher Ironside.

With the reduction in size the old larger coins, along with the florins that circulated alongside, were withdrawn from circulation and demonetized with effect from 1st July 1993.

There was a delay in the release of plated steel coins due to problems with modifying vending and similar machines so that they will be accepted. The Royal Mint are actively withdrawing cupronickel coins for their metal content, which is still just less than 10p, and replacing them with plated steel versions.

2018 and 2019 Alphabetical Series

A series of 10p coins were issued during 2018 with 26 reverse designs covering the 26 letters of the alphabet, and again in smaller quantities in 2019. These were issued in different quantities so some letters will be scarce. I have yet to see any of these in circulation four years after the announcement. However I have had a very few reports of some being seen by local traders. They were available singly or as a set in Royal Mint sets, at a price.

10p Die Varieties

There are two obverses for 1992, and two reverses for 10p coins dated between 1992 and 2008.

• Obverse 1: L,I and A in ELIZA point to space between dots
• Obverse 2: L,I and A in ELIZA point directly at dots
• Reverse A: 1 of 10 points directly at a dot. Four tufts under chest, lowest hair of mane detached from back of lion.
• Reverse B: 1 of 10 points at a space between two dots. Five tufts under chest, lowest hair of mane attached to back of lion.

These can be compared on the 10p Pictures Page.

In addition the milled edge can either be 'wire edge' or 'flat edge'. The 'flat edge' uses the full thickness of the coin, while the 'wire edge' seems to taper to a comparatively narrow section of reeding, and was only used during 1992.

Known combinations:

• Obv 1, Rev A, Wire Edge: Extremely common (about 40%)
• Obv 1, Rev A, Flat Edge: Extremely common (about 40%)
• Obv 2, Rev B, Flat Edge: Very common (about 20%)
• Obv 1, Rev B, Flat Edge: Scarce (less than 1%)
• Obv 2, Rev A, Flat Edge: Rare (much less than 1%)

The 1992 Proof is Obverse 2 and Reverse B. 1995 and 1996 coins have an obverse similar to 2 (but not the same), and reverse A, with a flat edge.

I am grateful to Simon Hawley, who has made a study of later reverses, for the following table, which is a summary of known die variations from 1993 up until the change to new designs during 2008.

• 1993: Rev B: BU Sets
• 1994: Rev B: BU Sets
• 1995: Rev A: Circulation. Rev B: BU Sets
• 1996: Rev A: Circulation. Rev B: BU Sets
• 1997: Rev A: Circulation. Rev B: BU Sets
• 1998: Rev B: BU Sets
• 1999: Rev B: BU Sets
• 2000: Rev A: Circulation. Rev B: BU Sets
• 2001: Rev A: Circulation. Rev B: BU Sets
• 2002: Rev A: Circulation. Rev B: BU Sets
• 2003: Rev A: Circulation. Rev B: BU Sets
• 2004: Rev A: Circulation. Rev B: BU Sets
• 2005: Rev A: Circulation. Rev B: BU Sets & Circulation (both types common)
• 2006: Rev A: Circulation (rare). Rev B: BU Sets & Circulation
• 2007: Rev B: BU Sets & Circulation
• 2008: Rev B: BU Sets & Circulation

From the above it can be seen that while reverse die B was always used for proof coins and coins destined for uncirculated sets, reverse die A was used for circulation coins until some point during 2005 when the change to die B was made. A very few 2006 coins (1 found in over 200 examples) were struck using an old type A die.

All coins dated 1993 to 1997 that have been seen use obverse type 2.

If any other die combinations are found, please let me know.

Acknowledgements

See my Main Coins Index page for acknowledgements

Links

Decimal Five Pence <<-- : -->> Decimal Twenty Pence

Main History Index
Values Index
Values of Decimal Ten Pence Coins.
Pictures Index
Pictures of Decimal Ten Pence Coins

Help and Advice