Background:

Although British trade & commerce were deemed not to need any more pennies in 1953, over 1.3 million of them were minted to satisfy the public demand for a souvenir of their new Queen, i.e. if it were not for the new sovereign, no bronze pennies would have been minted in 1953. In fact, no pennies were minted for remaining years of the 1950s.

Penny: Elizabeth II

• Alloy: Bronze (95% copper, 4% tin and 1% zinc)
• Weight: 9.4g
• Diameter: 30.8mm
• Edge: Plain
• Designers
  • Obverse: Mary Gillick (MG)
  • Reverse: Harold Wilson Parker (WP)

1953 GB & Northern Ireland bronze penny

Obverse: Type 1 (1953 only)

• Laureate bust of young Queen Elizabeth II facing right, with the surrounding legend:
  • Legend: +ELIZABETH II DEI GRA:BRITT:OMN:REGINA F:D:
  • Full text: ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA BRITANNIARUM OMNIUM REGINA FIDEI DEFENSATRIX
  • Translation: Elizabeth the Second, by the grace of God, Queen of all the Britains, Defender of the Faith

Obverse: Type 2 (1961-67)

• Laureate bust of young Queen Elizabeth II facing right, with the surrounding legend:
  • Legend: +ELIZABETH-II-DEI-GRATIA-REGINA-F:D:
  • Full text: ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA FIDEI DEFENSATRIX
  • Translation: Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, Queen, Defender of the Faith

Reverse:

• Britannia seated facing right, wearing a helmet, holding a trident, hand resting on a shield, with the words ‘ONE PENNY’ in the fields, and date below. 
• A lighthouse is in the background to the left of Britannia.

Mintage & Market Values:

1953-1967 Elizabeth II bronze penny (mintage & market values)

Further reading:

• Penny (1d)

  • Copper Pennies
    • O’Brien Coin Guide: GB & Ireland Copper Pennies of George IV
    • O’Brien Coin Guide: GB & Ireland Copper Pennies of William IV
    • O’Brien Coin Guide: GB & Ireland Copper Pennies of Victoria
  • Bronze Pennies
    • O’Brien Coin Guide: GB & Ireland Bronze Pennies of Victoria
    • O’Brien Coin Guide: GB & Ireland Bronze Pennies of Edward VII
    • O’Brien Coin Guide: GB & Ireland Bronze Pennies of George V
      • O’Brien Coin Guide: GB & Ireland Pennies Struck by the King’s Norton Mint
      • O’Brien Rare Coin Review: Why is the 1933 British Penny so valuable?
    • O’Brien Coin Guide: GB & Northern Ireland Bronze Pennies of George VI
    • O’Brien Coin Guide: GB & Northern Ireland Bronze Pennies of Elizabeth II
      • O’Brien Rare Coin Review: Why is the 1954 British Penny so valuable?