On 23 April 1968, Britain issued its first decimal coins—the 5 and 10 new pence pieces—as part of a major overhaul of the currency system.
These coins were introduced to replace the traditional shilling and two-shilling pieces, matching their value to ease the public transition.
The move was an early step toward full decimalisation, which would culminate in the UK officially adopting a base-10 currency system in 1971, simplifying calculations and aligning Britain with international standards.
