What does sixpence mean?
A sixpence is a former British coin bearing the denomination of six pence. Before Britain adopted decimal currency in 1971, its value was one-third of a shilling and one forty-eightth of a pound. The term can also denote an amount of money equal to six pence rather than the coin itself. Sixpences circulated as small change and could be used in transactions such as buying newspapers, paying for small services, or placing money in collection boxes. Today, the word survives mainly in historical accounts, collectors’ descriptions, and expressions such as “turn up sixpence.” It is also closely associated with “sixpenny,” an adjective meaning that something costs six pence, although “sixpenny” sometimes served historically as another name for the coin. In modern British usage, the word conveys something recognizably old-fashioned, making it especially effective when describing pre-decimal Britain.
A former British coin worth six old pence, or formerly the equivalent of one-third of a shilling.
"The museum displays several Victorian sixpences alongside other pre-decimal coins."
The coin was withdrawn from general circulation when decimal currency was introduced in the United Kingdom in 1971.
An amount of money equivalent to six pence.
"The charity asked for sixpence from each customer."
This use is now chiefly literary, historical, or nostalgic in British English.
Used for multiple coins or, historically, for separate amounts of six pence.
"The children collected sixpences for the church collection."
In the age of pounds, shillings, and pence, a sixpence sat neatly between a modern dime and a quarter.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sixpence come from?
“Sixpence” is a compound formed from “six” and “pence.” “Pence” developed through Middle English from the Old French plural “pins,” while “six” is inherited from Germanic roots. The compound arose as the older terminology of pennies gave way to the distinct unit “pence,” and it also has a parallel in “halfpenny.”
Related word forms
How sixpence is actually used
The word is chiefly historical in British English. It also has a general literary or nostalgic use, including the expression “turn up sixpence,” meaning to find money unexpectedly.
Easily confused with sixpence
A sixpence is the coin itself, whereas sixpenny is an adjective meaning “costing six pence”; historically, “sixpenny” could also denote the coin.