Maundy money set

A Maundy money set comprises small silver coins struck in four distinct denominations: one penny, two pence, three pence, and four pence. Legally designated as the King's Maundy money, these ceremonial pieces are distributed by the British sovereign or a royal representative during the Royal Maundy service, held annually on Maundy Thursday. Though technically legal tender, the pieces do not typically circulate. They are presented to elderly recipients in a white leather purse containing a sum of pence corresponding to the monarch's age, alongside an additional red purse holding ordinary coinage.

The tradition of distributing silver coins at a Maundy service dates to the medieval period, with King John recorded as giving pence to the poor in 1213, and Henry IV establishing the custom of equating the number of pence distributed to the sovereign's age. For centuries, ordinary circulating coins were used for this purpose. It was not until the latter half of the 18th century that the four denominations evolved into distinct, noncirculating ceremonial strikings rather than standard currency.

The physical design of the coinage has remained exceptionally consistent across successive reigns. The obverse depicts the effigy of the reigning monarch, while the reverse features a crowned numeral corresponding to the coin's denomination, enclosed within an open wreath. This reverse motif derives from a type first employed during the joint reign of King William III and Queen Mary II, and it has continued virtually unaltered since 1822.