British Threepence (50%) melt value & silver content
1920–1945 · 50% silver · 0.02264 troy oz of pure silver per coin.
What a Threepence (50%) is worth
The melt value of a Threepence (50%) is its 0.02264 troy oz of pure silver multiplied by the silver spot price. It contains 50% silver, and at a face value of 3d that works out to 1.8112 troy oz of silver for every pound of face value. The calculator above uses the current spot price, so the figure it shows is what the silver in the coin is worth right now.
Melt value is a floor, not a price. A Threepence (50%) in collectible grade, or a scarce date, can be worth well above its silver. Dealers also buy under melt and sell over it — the spread is how they make money, so expect to pay a premium buying and receive a discount selling.
What a Threepence (50%) works out to
| Quantity | Silver | Melt value |
|---|---|---|
| One coin | 0.02264 oz | — |
| A troy ounce of silver | 44.2 coins | — |
| £1 of face value | 80 coins | — |
Melt value updates with the spot price above.
Silver standards in Great Britain
British silver was struck at the sterling standard — 92.5% — until 1919. From 1920 the Royal Mint halved it to 50%, and silver left circulating coinage after 1946, with cupro-nickel taking over in 1947.
That single 1920 break is why two British coins of the same denomination can hold very different amounts of silver. Check the date before the denomination.
The same coin was struck to this standard elsewhere: Australia Threepence (50%) — identical weight and fineness, different dates.
Other threepence
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