The
British decimal
one penny (
1p)
coin, usually simply known as a
penny, is a unit of currency equaling one one-hundredth of a
pound sterling. The penny’s symbol is
p. Its obverse has featured the profile of
Queen Elizabeth II since the coin’s introduction in 1971, the year British currency was
decimalised. Four different portraits of the Queen have been used on the coin, with the latest design by
Jody Clark being introduced in 2015. The second and current reverse, featuring a segment of the
Royal Shield, was introduced in 2008.