Shilling, Wreath, Coin Type from United Kingdom - detailed information

Shilling, Wreath, Coin Type from United Kingdom (issued 1831 - 1887)
Coin TypeShilling, Wreath

The pre-decimal shilling (1s), also abbreviated in sums as e.g. 1/- for one shilling, was a unit of currency equalling one twentieth of a pound sterling, or twelve pence sterling; the "s" in the abbreviation is not from "shilling" but from "sestertius" - the Roman coin which was the ancestor of the denomination. It was used in the United Kingdom, and earlier in Great Britain and England.

The "wreath" type of shilling was introduced at the beginning of the reign of King William IV and was issued from 1831 to 1887, well into the reign of Queen Victoria. Its design is the same as the sixpence coin issued in the same period, only with a different inscription. The reverse inscription was an innovation at the time, breaking with two earlier traditions - it shows the value and denomination, whereas earlier coins did not, and was in English - whereas earlier coins carried inscriptions only in Latin.

The composition is Sterling Silver (0.925 silver) and the coins have 0.1682 oz ASW (ounce of Absolute Silver Weight). When the currency became decimal in 1971, shillings were re-denominated as five new pence; they remained legal tender until 1990, when a smaller type of five pence replaced them.

Obverse
United Kingdom / Shilling, Wreath - obverse photo

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

During the existence of this coin type, shillings were issued for:
- King William IV (1831 - 1837)
- Queen Victoria (1838 - 1887)

Obverse Inscription Legend of the ruling British monarch
Reverse
United Kingdom / Shilling, Wreath - reverse photo

Surrounded by a beaded border, the reverse of the coin shows, within an open wreath of olive (left) and oak (right) branches, the value and denomination in words, on two lines: ONE SHILLING.

Above the value, St Edward's Crown. Named after Saint Edward the Confessor, it has been traditionally used to crown English and British monarchs at their coronations since the 13th century (with a two-century gap between 1689 and 1911).

Below the ribbon tying the wreath, the date of issue: [year].

Reverse Inscription ONE SHILLING [year]
EdgeMilledEdge InscriptionNone
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Royal Mint
Royal Mint
Coin Type: Shilling, Wreath - (54) Coins
Coin NameMintageEffigyLegend
Shilling 1831 (Proof only) unknown King William IV - Bare Head GULIELMUS IIII D: G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:
Shilling 1834 3,223,000 King William IV - Bare Head GULIELMUS IIII D: G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:
Shilling 1835 1,449,000 King William IV - Bare Head GULIELMUS IIII D: G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:
Shilling 1836 3,568,000 King William IV - Bare Head GULIELMUS IIII D: G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:
Shilling 1837 479,000 King William IV - Bare Head GULIELMUS IIII D: G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:
Shilling 1838 1,956,240 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1839 5,666,760 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1840 1,639,440 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1841 875,160 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1842 2,094,840 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1843 1,465,200 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1844 4,466,760 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1845 4,082,760 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1846 4,031,280 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1848 1,041,480 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1849 645,480 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1850 685,080 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1851 470,071 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1852 1,306,574 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1853 4,256,188 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1854 522,414 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1855 1,368,499 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1856 3,168,000 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1857 2,562,120 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1858 3,108,600 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1859 4,561,920 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1860 1,671,120 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1861 1,382,040 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1862 954,360 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1863 859,320 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1864 4,518,360 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1865 5,619,240 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1866 4,989,600 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1867 2,166,120 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1868 3,330,360 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1869 736,560 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1870 1,467,471 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1871 4,910,010 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1872 8,897,781 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1873 6,589,598 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1874 5,503,747 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1875 4,353,983 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1876 1,057,387 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1877 2,980,703 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1878 3,127,131 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1879 3,611,407 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1880 4,842,786 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1881 5,255,332 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1882 1,611,786 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1883 7,281,450 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1884 3,923,993 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1885 3,336,527 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1886 2,086,819 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
Shilling 1887 Wreath 4,034,133 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:
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Shilling, Wreath: Details
CountryUnited Kingdom
CurrencyPound Sterling (pre-decimal)
Sub-type ofShilling
From1831
To1887
Face Value1 (x Shilling)
CurrentNo (demonetised 1990)
Material0.925 Silver
DesignerJean Baptiste Merlen
TechnologyMilled (machine-made)
ShapeRound
OrientationCoin Alignment (Axis 6)
Size24.0000 mm
Mass5.6552 g
Shilling, Wreath: Photos
ImageDetails
Shilling, Wreath: Photo Proof Coin - Shilling, William IV, Great Britain, 1831 Proof Coin - Shilling, William IV, Great Britain, 1831
Copyright: Museums Victoria / CC BY
Author:
Notes: Wreath reverse, no die number (1831 - 1863, then 1879 - 1887).
Source
Shilling, Wreath: Photo Coin - Shilling, Queen Victoria Great Britain, 1873 Coin - Shilling, Queen Victoria Great Britain, 1873
Copyright: Museums Victoria / CC BY
Author:
Notes: Wreath reverse, die number (1864 - 1879).
Source
Shilling, Wreath: Photo Proof Coin - Shilling, Queen Victoria, Great Britain, 1880 Proof Coin - Shilling, Queen Victoria, Great Britain, 1880
Copyright: Museums Victoria / CC BY
Author:
Notes: No die number (1880 - 1887).
Source
Shilling, Wreath: Photo Proof Coin - Shilling, William IV, Great Britain, 1831 Proof Coin - Shilling, William IV, Great Britain, 1831
Copyright: Museums Victoria / CC BY
Author:
Notes: King William IV (1831 - 1837).
Source
Shilling, Wreath: Photo Great Britain 1844 shilling Great Britain 1844 shilling
Copyright: CoinFactsWiki / CC BY-SA
Author:
Notes: Queen Victoria (1838 - 1887).
Source