Coin collectors can own a piece of British history as one of the UK's longest serving coins becomes available for the first time in almost a century.

The George V threepence coin has been out of circulation since the early 20th Century but now 120,000 original pieces are being offered to the public for free in an effort to keep hobbies alive in households across the UK.

The initiative by the London Mint Office has been backed by TV historian Sir Tony Robinson and comes after a survey conducted by the actor found just 23 per cent of adults shared a hobby with younger family members.

And despite this, 94 per cent of respondents thought sharing hobbies gave them the opportunity to develop a closer bond with relatives from a different generation.

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Discussing the giveaway, the Blackadder star said: "Different generations often don't have much in common, so it can be really important for families to share a hobby in order to have quality time together.

"What I find so exciting about a coin is that it's a piece of history you can hold in your hand. You can feel its weight, study its marks and appreciate the stories behind it. A coin can quite literally connect you to another era and another time."

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The silver threepence is one of Britain's longest serving coins and was a staple for nearly 500 years after being introduced by Edward VI in 1551.

It was used by people of all walks of life in society "from the late Tudor era all the way up until the first World War."

The London Mint Office is giving people across the UK the chance to travel back in time by giving away a limited quantity of original George V silver threepence coins - which is dated to 1935, almost a century ago.

Daniel Penney, managing director for The London Mint Office, said: "The silver threepence has been a part of British life throughout the Tudor, Elizabethan and Victorian eras.

"It has connected people from all walks of life for nearly 500 years and it's a wonderful symbol to connect current family generations together now.

"Technology plays such a big role in our lives today that it's easy to lose that physical connection with each other, so we hope the V silver threepence might inspire families to spend time together by starting their own coin collections, holding history in their hands."

The limited edition coin is available for free at londonmintoffice.org/silvercoin - though a £2.50 postage fee applies.