Pence is the plural of penny in British money. While Americans say “pennies” for multiple one-cent coins, the British say “pence” for amounts of money. A chocolate bar might cost 50 pence, written as 50p. If something costs three pounds and twenty pence, you'd write it as £3.20.

British currency works differently from American dollars and cents. One pound equals 100 pence, similar to how one dollar equals 100 cents. But while Americans might say “I found three pennies,” a British person might say “I found three pence” or “I found three pennies” (meaning three one-pence coins).

You'll encounter pence when reading British books, planning trips to the United Kingdom, or learning about currency systems around the world. Just remember: in Britain, amounts of money are counted in pence, not pennies.