As the niece and only surviving heir of William IV, Queen Victoria acceded to the throne at the age of just 18 and went on to have one of the longest reigns in British history, reigning for an impressive 63 years. Throughout this time, the British Empire expanded, whilst scientific advancements and social reform left a lasting impact on the United Kingdom. 

The penny is one of the oldest denominations in British circulation, dating back to the time of the Anglo-Saxons. It is thought that it was influenced by the Roman denarius, which is why the penny was referred to with a ‘d’ during the pre-decimal time of pounds, shillings and pence. Following decimalisation in 1971, the penny denomination was retained as 1/100th of a pound. 

This Queen Victoria Penny is also available as part of The Making of Modern Britain Queen Victoria Bundle, which offers collectors the opportunity to own an example of each of the circulating coins of the monarch’s reign.