This film is part of Free
Demise of the Old Penny and Threepenny Bit
Dig down the back of the sofa for your lost shrapnel: old coinage is phasing out as Britain prepares to go decimal.
Overview
Time to dig down the back of the sofa, shake out your pockets and rummage around for those old pennies and threepenny bits, as this television information film reminds viewers to spend them before they go out of circulation. This is just one of a number of films and other material sponsored by the Central Office of Information for a major information campaign in the lead-up to decimalisation, intended to make the transition as smooth as possible.
Britain made the switch to decimal currency on 15 February 1971, by which time 5p, 10p and 50p coins had already been introduced. In the run-up to 'D Day', many shops gave prices in both pounds, shillings and pence and the new decimal system. This government film is a public record, preserved and presented by the BFI National Archive on behalf of The National Archives, home to more than 1,000 years of British history.
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