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• half crown
  half crown

  noun

  a former silver or cupronickel coin of Great Britain equal to two shillings and sixpence: use phased out after decimalization in 1971.
• half-crown
  half-crown

  noun

  a British silver or cupronickel coin worth two shillings and sixpence (now equivalent to 12 1/ 2 p), taken out of circulation in 1970

half crown

American  

noun

1. a former silver or cupronickel coin of Great Britain equal to two shillings and sixpence: use phased out after decimalization in 1971.

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half-crown British  

noun

1. Also called: half-a-crown.  a British silver or cupronickel coin worth two shillings and sixpence (now equivalent to 12 1/ 2 p), taken out of circulation in 1970

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Etymology

Origin of half crown

First recorded in 1535–45

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

half crown half-crown

Shoppers had to learn how to use decimalised currency from 14 February 1971 Do you remember the tanner, shilling, florin and half crown?

From BBC ● Feb. 5, 2011

Freckled brown orchids sold at a half crown a bunch in Piccadilly, where the crowds window-shopped before late dinners or after big late teas in crowded Lyons' Corner Houses.

From Time Magazine Archive

He places a half crown like the one I received as victor on my head, but it’s made of a heavy black metal, not gold.

From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins

It was on his right side, just below his rib cage, about the size of a half crown.

From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan

S—— remembered it, and told it distinctly till he came to the half crown; at this circumstance he hesitated.

From Practical Education, Volume II by Edgeworth, Maria

After weeks of non-payment the miners went on strike, upon which Mr Davies is said to have thrown his last half-crown into the crowd, proclaiming: "Have that as well. Just give me another week".

From BBC ● Feb. 25, 2023

Gate receipts totalled £1,810, plus around £800 from the half-crown contributions, resulting in the event making a profit that was enough to ensure the British team could defend the trophy in the US in 1931.

From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2021

One cold night in Piccadilly, with only a half-crown between him and something desperate, he found them all again.

From Time Magazine Archive

White-haired Dr. Davidson rushed into court breathless, flustered, 20 minutes late, followed by an infuriated taxi-driver who shouted that the defendant had slipped him a penny instead of a half-crown for his fare.

From Time Magazine Archive

That I should innocently take a bad half-crown of somebody else’s manufacture is reasonable enough; but that I should knowingly reckon the spurious coin of my own make as good money!

From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens