Total being about four pence, finally (8)
I believe the answer is:
entirety
'total' is the definition.
(both can mean all of something)
'being about four pence finally' is the wordplay.
'being' becomes 'entity' (I've seen this in other clues).
'about' indicates putting letters inside.
'finally' indicates one should take the final letters.
The final letters of 'four pence' are 're'.
'entity' placed around 're' is 'ENTIRETY'.
(Other definitions for entirety that I've seen before include "Universe" , "Sum" , "Whole" , "Totality" , "The lot" .)