Silver Joeys

My piece about old money a fortnight ago was seen by Des Whitbey, of Portchester, who tells me it was not the 12-sided thrupenny bits that were called Joeys but the former silver one.

By The Newsroom

Published 30th Jan 2016, 06:00 BST

Des says: ‘Pre-war, our Christmas puddings always contained several of the old silver thrupenny bits. These were tiny, so could be easily swallowed.

‘It wasn’t until the new much larger, nickel-brass ones came in that mum started to use sixpenny pieces instead.

‘It was the old silver pieces we called Joeys – the new square ones we classed as interlopers.

The square ones came in in 1937 but because of the uncertainty of public reaction, the old silver one continued to be minted until 1945,’ says Des.

Portchester