Wartime Composition

[Guest brisfan22]

Hello!

My son has found a 1945 halfpenny - can someone explain wartime composition ?

Thanks

[Rob]

Hello!

My son has found a 1945 halfpenny - can someone explain wartime composition ?

Thanks

Based on the info given by Peck, the metal used initially for George VI bronze coinage was an alloy containing 95.5% copper, 3% tin and 1.5%zinc. On 14/4/1942 the tin content was reduced to 0.5% as a result of wartime shortages and the resulting alloy had 97% copper and 2.5% zinc. On 15/11/1945 the original composition was restored, so to find out your coin's composition it would be necessary to analyse the metal as either composition could apply.

[Guest brisfan22]

Hello!

My son has found a 1945 halfpenny - can someone explain wartime composition ?

Thanks

Based on the info given by Peck, the metal used initially for George VI bronze coinage was an alloy containing 95.5% copper, 3% tin and 1.5%zinc. On 14/4/1942 the tin content was reduced to 0.5% as a result of wartime shortages and the resulting alloy had 97% copper and 2.5% zinc. On 15/11/1945 the original composition was restored, so to find out your coin's composition it would be necessary to analyse the metal as either composition could apply.

Thank you - this helps a great deal. I mostly handle ancient coins as part of my day to day work but we get modern coins bought in for id ( I work in a museum) all the time. I can now add this to my background knowledge and add a bit more to the context of wartime coin production for my son.

[Chris Perkins]

When new, the wartime compostition bronze coins were chemically darkened so that they looked more old and used. This was because the natural tone of the 'new' bronze looked different and it was feared that the public would be wary of them. Some (scarce) ones seem to have escaped without being darkened.