That's right! British coins are sterling (925) silver until 1920, then 500 silver until 1946. After that, cupronickel. Commonwealth countries, although issuing the same denominations, differ in metal.
Did anyone you know visit the UK in the 1960s or 1970s? This sixpence is quite well circulated and these coins remained in circulation until 1980 (latterly as two-and-a-half new pence) but silver ones were quite rare to find in circulation after about 1974. It could well have been brought back from the UK in a pocketful of loose change.
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