when did the new 5p come into circulation

The term “new 5p” might be causing some confusion. There wasn’t a single event where an entirely new 5p coin was introduced in Britain. Here’s what you need to know:

• The current 5p coin design entered circulation in April 1968. This was part of the lead-up to decimalisation in the UK, which switched the currency from pounds, shillings, and pence to a decimal system based on 100 pence per pound.

• The 5p coin that began circulating in 1968 was initially the same size and design as the pre-decimal one shilling coin. However, a smaller version of the 5p coin was introduced in June 1990, and the older, larger version was withdrawn at the end of 1990.

So, depending on what’s meant by “new 5p,” it either refers to the initial introduction of the 5p coin in 1968, or the introduction of the smaller version in 1990.