1984: The end of the halfpenny coin
Chancellor Nigel Lawson announced the end of the Halfpenny coin on 1 February 1984.
He said the Royal Mint would stop making the tiny coin at the end of the month, and it would cease to be legal tender in 1984.
The currency had been in circulation for 13 years of almost universal unpopularity. Its fate was sealed when it became more expensive to make than its face value.
The halfpenny coin was the last denomination to be withdrawn, although other coins have been redesigned. New denominations like the 拢2 coin were also introduced.
Originally broadcast on 1 February 1984