Penny defaced by suffragettes
- Audio guide stop: 527
- Gallery: Room 68
- Maker: Royal Mint
- Made in: London (England); British Isles (UK)
- Date: 1903
- Object type: coin
- Materials: alloy
- Museum number: 1991,0733.1
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About this object
Before you is a 1903 British penny, altered to become a powerful political statement. On one side, the image of King Edward VII is partially covered by bold words: "VOTES FOR WOMEN." This coin was used as a tool for protest during the suffragette movement.
On the reverse side, you see the traditional image of Britannia, draped and seated, with a trident in her raised hand. The words "ONE PENNY" and a small "1903" appear below. This penny was not only currency but also a symbol, created by activists from the Women's Social and Political Union.
Made of a copper alloy, this small object shows how ordinary items can be transformed into messages of change. It reflects a time when women fought for their right to vote, using creative and bold methods to make their voices heard.
See it in person
Penny defaced by suffragettes is on display in Room 68 at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and type its audio guide stop number, 527, from the gallery label, or take a photo of it, to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
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