Ten pence (British coin)
United Kingdom | |
| Value | £0.10 |
|---|---|
| Mass | (1968–1992) 11.31 g (1992–present) 6.5 g |
| Diameter | (1968–1992) 28.5 mm (1992–present) 24.5 mm |
| Thickness | (Cupro-nickel) 1.85 mm (Steel) 2.05 mm |
| Edge | Milled |
| Composition | Cupro-nickel (1971–2012) Nickel-plated steel (2012–) |
| Years of minting | 1968–present |
| Obverse | |
| Design | Queen Elizabeth II |
| Designer | Jody Clark |
| Design date | 2015 |
| Reverse | |
| Design | Segment of the Royal Shield |
| Designer | Matthew Dent |
| Design date | 2008 |
The British decimal ten pence coin (often shortened to 10p in writing and speech) is a denomination of sterling coinage worth 1⁄10 of a pound. Its obverse has featured the profile of the British monarch since the coin's introduction in 1968, to replace the florin (two shilling) coin in preparation for decimalisation in 1971. It remained the same size as the florin (which also remained legal tender) until a smaller version was introduced on 30 September 1992, with the older coins and the pre-decimal florin being withdrawn on 30 June 1993.
The ten pence coin was originally minted from cupro-nickel] (75% Cu, 25% Ni), but since 2012 it has been minted in nickel-plated steel due to the increasing price of metal. From January 2013 the Royal Mint began a programme to gradually remove the cupro-nickel coins from circulation and replace them with the nickel-plated steel versions.
As of March 2014, there were an estimated 1,631 million 10p coins in circulation, with an estimated face value of £163.08 million.
Ten pence coins are legal tender for amounts up to the sum of £5 when offered in repayment of a debt; however, the coin's legal tender status is not normally relevant for everyday transactions.