Description:
1948 six penny coin.
A silver sixpence was often called a ‘tanner’.
The front shows the profile of King George VI facing left, and the back shows his royal cypher (his initials) with a crown above and the date divided on either side.
After decimalisation, when the pound was to be divided into 100 rather than 240 pence, sixpences continued to be legal tender with a value of 2 ½ new pence, until 30 June 1980.
Silver sixpences would be baked into Christmas puddings for good luck, and they were also given to brides on their wedding day to wear in their shoe for good luck.
“Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue and a silver sixpence in her shoe.”
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