The British pound's value was comprised of twenty shillings and each shilling was made up of twelve pence.
Along with the standard pound note, there was a smaller ten shilling note. Additionally there were four silver coins: a half-crown, florin, shilling and sixpence. Smaller values included a three pence coin (often referred to as ‘thrupence’ or a ‘thrup'ny bit’), a penny, half-penny and a farthing.
There is no coin that is a direct equivalent of the old three pence coin today.
The ‘thrup'ny’ bit was a pleasant coin to handle. It had a satisfying, chunky feel and a child with one in his pocket could feel safe in the knowledge that its spending power would provide a cornucopia of treats.
COIN
It’s under glass therefore I have to ask
the junk-shop man to let me have a look.
He brings it out: a chunky three-pence piece
from back when pence were signified by 'd',
two-forty to a pound, a shilling, twelve.
We called them Thrup’ney Bits back in the days
when three dee could have bought treats by the score:
a Dandy or a Beano, licorice,
or sarsparilla, pop or bubble gum.
I stand and weigh it in my adult palm.
Thru'pence ... so curious, so oddly obsolete.
Worth now? I’ll take a fiver, says the man,
but I refuse and hand the small coin back
then leave the shop, continue on my way,
childhood alive again, my footsteps slow
my wallet undisturbed, my mind less so.
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