Halfcrown, Coin Type from United Kingdom - detailed information

Effigy of the ruling British monarch, legend (in Latin).

Halfcrown (half crown) coins struck after 1801 were issued for:
- King George III (1816 - 1820), with two different portraits
- King George IV (1820 - 1829), with two different portraits
- King William IV (1831 - 1837)
- Queen Victoria (1839 - 1901), with three different portraits
- King Edward VII (1902 - 1910)
- King George V (1911 - 1936)
- King George VI (1937 - 1952)
- Queen Elizabeth II (1953 - 1970)

The reverse went through several transformations during the existence of the denomination as a coin of the United Kingdom (earlier designs are classified under England and Great Britain).

1. The first design (1816 - 1817) depicts the crowned and garnished shield bearing the Hanoverian version of the Royal Arms of the United Kingdom, within the Garter of the Order of the Garter, with the motto HONI · SOIT · QUI · MAL · Y · PENSE · inscribed on it. The shield is quartered, depicting in the first and fourth quarters the three passant guardant lions of England; in the second, the rampant lion and double tressure flory-counterflory of Scotland; and in the third, a harp for Ireland. At centre, an escutcheon of the arms of Brunswick-Lüneburg (Electorate of Hanover), of which King George III was Elector as Georg III. Wilhelm Friedrich, and later king when it was elevated to a kingdom; the escutcheon is crowned with the Crown of Charlemagne - reflecting the King's role as Arch-Treasurer of the Holy Roman Empire. The crown on top of the full Coat of Arms is St Edward's Crown. Around the rim, the rest of the monarch's legend (continuing from the obverse): BRITANNIARUM REX FID: DEF: - "King of the Britains, Defender of the Faith".

2. The second design (1817 - 1820) also depicts the crowned shield bearing the Hanoverian version of the Royal Arms of the United Kingdom, but is not so ornate. The inscriptions are the same as before.

3. The first issue of King George IV (1820 - 1823) has another depiction of the crowned shield bearing the Hanoverian version of the Royal Arms of the United Kingdom, surrounded by a rose, thistle and shamrock - the floral emblems of England, Scotland and Ireland respectively. The inscriptions around left and right are ANNO ("year" in Latin), and the year of issue.

4. The second issue of King George IV (1823 - 1824) has yet another depiction of the crowned shield of the Hanoverian version of the Royal Arms of the United Kingdom, which is more angular and is surrounded by the Order of the Garter inscribed with HONI · SOIT · QUI · MAL · Y · PENSE ·. The inscriptions around left and right are, again, ANNO and the year of issue.

5. The third issue of King George IV (1824 - 1829) has a more ornate depiction of the crowned shield of the Hanoverian version of the Royal Arms of the United Kingdom, on which the shield is surmounted by a crowned helmet with drapery, crowned with the Crown of St Edward. Below the shield, on a scroll the motto of the British monarch: DIEU ET MON DROIT ("God and my right"). Around above, the continuation of the monarch's legend: BRITANNIARUM REX FID: DEF:.

6. The half crown of King William IV (1831 - 1837) has a new ornate depiction of the crowned shield of the Hanoverian version of the Royal Arms of the United Kingdom, on which the shield is mantled (surrounded by drapery), and is again crowned with the Crown of St Edward. Below the shield is visible part of the chain of the Order of the Garter, with its pendant depicting St George slaying the dragon. The inscriptions around below are ANNO and the year.

7. The first issue of Queen Victoria (1839 - 1887) shows the crowned shield of the modern Royal Arms of the United Kingdom - reflecting the fact that the Queen, being female, did not inherit the throne of Hanover. The shield is quartered, depicting in the first and fourth quarters the three passant guardant lions of England; in the second, the rampant lion and double tressure flory-counterflory of Scotland; and in the third, a harp for Ireland. It is surmounted by St Edward's Crown. Around below, a small rose, thistle and shamrock - the floral emblems of England, Scotland and Ireland respectively. Around above, the continuation of the Queen's legend: BRITANNIARUM REGINA FID: DEF: (Queen of the Britains, Defender of the Faith).

8. The second issue of Queen Victoria (1887 - 1892) was short-lived. It also shows the crowned shield of the modern Royal Arms of the United Kingdom, but it is now surrounded by the collar and garter of the Order of the Garter; inscribed on the garter is the motto of the order, HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE. The crown is now termed the "Imperial Crown", as Queen Victoria became Empress of India in 1880. Around above, the continuation of the Queen's legend: BRITANNIARUM REGINA FID: DEF:. Below, the date is divided by the pendant depicting St George and the Dragon hanging from the base of the Collar.

9. The third issue of Queen Victoria (1893 - 1901) also shows the crowned shield of the modern Royal Arms of the United Kingdom, depicted in a more angular fashion. It is surrounded by the Collar of the Order of the Garter, but there is no motto inscribed. The monarch's legend continues from the obverse as FID · DEF · IND · IMP · (Defender of the Faith, Empress of India). Below, the denomination and the date HALF [year] CROWN are divided by the pendant depicting St George and the Dragon hanging from the base of the Collar. This is the first time that the denomination was actually inscribed on the coins, before that it had to be inferred from their size.

10. The next design was issued through the reign of King Edward VII and most of the reign of King George V (1902 - 1927). The shield of the Royal Arms of the United Kingdom is shown wider, and is surrounded by the garter of the Order of the Garter, with the motto HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE inscribed on it. The monarch's legend continues from the obverse as FID: DEF: IND: IMP: (Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India). Below, the denomination and date HALF · [year] · CROWN are divided by the buckle of the Garter.

11. The penultimate halfcrown design was issued through the rest of the reign of King George V and the reign of King George VI (1927 - 1952). The shield of the Royal Arms of the United Kingdom has a different shape, and is not garnished, crowned, or surrounded by anything. On both sides, there is a crowned GG monogram. Around above, the continuation of the monarch's legend is FID: DEF: IND: IMP: until 1948, then just "FID DEF" - with the reference to the monarch's role as emperor being removed after the Independence of India. The coins of King George V have small text dividers representing the floral emblems of Scotland, England and Ireland - thistle, rose, and shamrock respectively, while the coins of King George VI do not - on them, the shield is suspended from a chain link above which takes the place of the rose. Around below, the denomination and the date HALF CROWN [year].

12. The final halfcrown design was issued in the reign of Queen Elizabeth II (1953 - 1970), after which the denomination was discontinued. The shield of the Royal Arms of the United Kingdom is depicted straight, and is again crowned. The Imperial Crown is shown as the Tudor Crown, even though it normally had the shape of the Crown of Saint Edward during the Queen's reign. It divides the Queen's monogram, ER. The continuation of the Queen's legend from the obverse is + FID · · DEF + only. Around below, the denomination and the date HALF CROWN [year].

The denomination was introduced in 1549, but here you can see listed only coins issued after 1801 - that is, coins issued by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (later United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland). Earlier coins are classified under England and Great Britain.

Various British colonies, dominions and dependencies issued their own versions of the British pre-decimal currency. Most of them though opted to not have the halfcrown denomination (Australia, British West Africa, Fiji, Nigeria).

In those that did have the denomination, some called it a half crown and some called it "two and a half shillings". For these denominations, see:

- New Zealand, Half Crown - issued 1933 to 1965, demonetised at decimalisation in 1967; unlike many other denominations, it was not re-denominated to a decimal value, since the new decimal system had no equivalent for it.