Kings Norton Penny 

First appearing in early medieval times, the old penny circulated until decimalisation in 1971. During 1918 and 1919, The Royal Mint called upon the services of The Kings Norton Metal Company Ltd to help meet demand. The pennies produced by the company can be identified by a ‘KN’ mint mark near the date on the reverse of the coin. 

Did You Know? 

• This penny features a portrait of Britannia, the personification of Britain. Britannia first appeared on coins around AD 119 during Emperor Hadrian’s reign   
• The penny was originally a silver coin but this became impractical therefore silver pennies are only struck today for Royal Maundy and inclusion in some commemorative sets  
• The copper pennies that were introduced in 1797 are known as ‘cartwheel’ pennies due to their large size and distinctive rim  
• Originally known as ‘bun’ pennies because of Queen Victoria’s hairstyle, smaller, lighter bronze pennies were introduced in 1860