Decimal Day use pennies or threepenny pieces, to pay them in multiples of 6d (p, the lowest common multiple of the two systems). Bus companies (at that time many state-owned by the National Bus Company) were another exception, going decimal on Sunday 21 February. Decimal Day itself went smoothly. Criticisms included the small size of the new halfpenny coin and the fact that some traders had taken advantage of the transition to raise prices. Some used new pennies as sixpences in vending machines. After 15 February, shops continued to accept payment in old coins, but always issued change in new coins. The
Halfpenny (British decimal coin) 1984. The reverse of the coin, designed by Christopher Ironside, was a representation of St Edward's Crown, with the numeral "" below the crown, and either (1971–1981) or (1982–1984) above the crown. Only one design of obverse was used on the halfpenny coin. The inscription around the portrait on the obverse was , where 19xx was the year of minting. Both sides of the coin are encircled by dots, a common feature on coins, known as beading. As on all decimal coins produced before 1984, the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Arnold Machin appeared on the obverse; in this