Decimal Day old coins were returned to the banks and in this way the bulk of them were quickly taken out of circulation. The new halfpenny, penny, and twopence coins were introduced on 15 February 1971. Within two weeks of Decimal Day, the old penny (1d) and old threepenny (3d) coins had left circulation, and old sixpences were becoming rare. On 31 August 1971, the 1d and 3d were officially withdrawn from circulation, ending the transition period. The government intended that in speech the new units would be called "new pence", but the public decided that it was clearer and quicker to
Coins of the pound sterling one-pound coin, depicts the entire shield of arms on the reverse. All current coins carry a Latin inscription whose full form is , meaning "Elizabeth II, by the grace of God, Queen and Defender of the Faith". In addition to the circulating coinage, the UK also mints commemorative decimal coins (crowns) in the denomination of five pounds. Prior to decimalisation, the denomination of special commemorative coins was five shillings, that is, of a pound. Crowns, therefore, had a face value of 25p from decimalisation until 1981, when the last 25p crown was struck. Ceremonial Maundy money and bullion coinage of