The "threepenny bit" was a coin used in the United Kingdom, worth three pence. It was introduced in 1937 and was made of cupronickel, giving it a distinctive silver-like appearance. The coin featured a design of a crowned thistle on one side and the image of the reigning monarch on the other. The threepenny bit was commonly used in everyday transactions until it was withdrawn from circulation in 1980. It was often associated with the British currency system and was part of the pre-decimal currency era, which included various coins with different values before the switch to decimalization in 1971.