Definition:Penny/Linguistic Note

Linguistic Note on Penny

The usual plural of the word penny is pence.

However, the word pennies is sometimes used in rhetorical speech if it is required to emphasise the paltry quantity of the money in question.

Pennies is also used to refer to the specific coins themselves:

I have five pennies in my pocket

would be taken to mean:

I have five coins in my pocket which are penny coins

while:

I have five pence in my pocket

would be taken to mean:

I have money to the amount of $5 p$ in my pocket.