Real coins·30 April 2026·4 min read
The penny — the coin that has lived for 1,200 years
First struck in 8th-century England, the penny is among the longest-lived coin names in the world.
The silver penny appeared in Anglo-Saxon England, around the year 760. For centuries it was practically the only English coin — everything was reckoned in pennies.
Cut into halves and quarters
For small amounts, people literally cut the penny in half or in quarters. Hence the "half-penny". Living proof that money adapts to people's practical needs.
