Green’s Dictionary of Slang

fippence n.

a threepenny bit.

[1577		Misogonus in Farmer (1906) II i: orgal.: I had rather have found forty pence myself, that I had! [...] oenoph.: Is he gone? Gads sides! this is too bad; I’ll give him his old fippens if it lie in my lot].
1837		Comic Almanack Apr. 86: They cost me fippence ha’p’ny farden.
1841		Staffs. Gaz. 14 Jan. 1/7: My back spring vent in two, vich cost me fourteen and fippence to get mended.
1860		London Dly News 31 Oct. 2/2: A coach [...] with a chap at the ribbons / Who doesn't care fippence / For his own neck.
1861		(con. 1840s–50s) H. Mayhew London Labour and London Poor I 256/1: ‘Fip-pence!’ exclaimed the lad, indignantly.
1870		‘Rolling Home’ in C. Elliot Songs of Yale 73: I’ve a jolly fippence, a jolly, jolly fippence.
1873		C. Rampini Letters from Jamaica 95: The negro nomenclature of coins is as follows: – [...] Fippence, three pence.
1881		Manchester Eve. News 6 Apr. 4/3: Give me a gint wot will [...] let a honest 'ard-workin' man 'ave a quartern loaf for fippence.
1898		Binstead & Wells A Pink ’Un and a Pelican 238: Seven-an’-fippence, a few ’air pins, an’ a hadvertisement ’ow to improve the bust!
1907		W. Jekyll Jam. Song and Story 161: ‘Fuppence’ is fivepence, but means threepence.
1910		Anderson & Cundall Jamaica Proverbs and Sayings 4: Two bit neber braggin’ as one fippenny.
1929		M. Beckwith Jamaica Proverbs (1970) 71: If you see fipance you know how dollar mek.
1938		(con. 1900s) J.B. Booth Sporting Times 191: On’y think of it — a ten-ounce pork chop and Ben Davies for fippence.
1966		(con. 1940s) L. Bennett ‘Mout Taxes’ Jamaica Labrish 69: An noh fegat de fip a week / Yuh get from Bungo Ward.
1989		C. Hyatt When Me Was A Boy 17: Then yuh get fippance – that’s like half a five cent.

In phrases

fine as fippence (adj.)

excellent, attractive.

1672		J. Phillips Maronides V (1678) 101: Every one as fine as fippence / And and [sic] all prepar’d to run for thrippence.
1856		Hereford Jrnl 15 Oct. 4/4: All as fine as fippence.
1897		‘F. Anstey’ Baboo Jabberjee BA 3: [A]a bewitching and well-proportioned damsel, as fine as a fivepence.