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The British decimal Ten Pence (10p) coin was issued in 1968 in preparation for the forthcoming decimalisation of the coinage. As at that time it had the same value, size, and weight as the pre-existing Florin or Two Shillings coin it may be viewed as a continuation of the older coin, which remained in circulation.
The coin is minted from an alloy of 75% copper and 25% nickel. The 1968 version of the coin weighed 11.31 grams and had a diameter of 28.50 millimetres. In 1992 a smaller version weighing 6.50 grams and with a diameter of 24.50 millimetres was introduced, and all the older 10p and florin coins were withdrawn from circulation and demonetised from 1 July 1993. This reform was done a year after a similar reform of the Five Pence coin, and the new Ten Pence was only a gram heavier and half a millimetre larger than the previously withdrawn Five Pence.
The reverse of the coin, designed by Christopher Ironside, is a crowned lion (formally, Part of the crest of England, a lion passant guardant royally crowned), with the numeral "10" below the lion, and either NEW PENCE (1968-1981) or TEN PENCE (1982-date) above the lion.
During the history of the coin, three different obverses have been used so far - between 1968 and 1984 the head of Queen Elizabeth II by Arnold Machin was used, between 1985 and 1997 the head by Raphael Maklouf was used, and since 1998 one by Ian Rank-Broadley has been used. In all cases, the inscription used is ELIZABETH II D.G.REG.F.D. date.
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