Sixpence, Wreath First Design, Coin Type from United Kingdom (showing photos)

Sixpence, Wreath First Design, Coin Type from United Kingdom (issued 1831 - 1887)

Coin Type	Sixpence, Wreath First Design

The pre-decimal sixpence (6d) was a unit of currency equalling one fortieth of a pound sterling, or six pence sterling. It was used in the United Kingdom, and earlier in Great Britain and England.

The "wreath" type of sixpence 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 shilling 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 0.0841 oz ASW (ounce of Absolute Silver Weight). Sixpences continued to be legal tender for a while after the currency became decimal in 1971, with a value of 2 1⁄2 new pence, until they were demonetised on 30th June 1980.

Obverse

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

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

Obverse Inscription	Legend of the ruling British monarch

Reverse

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: SIX PENCE.

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	SIX PENCE [year]

Edge	Milled	Edge Inscription	None

Notes	Krause lists a 1849 sixpence with mintage of 210,000 and a note that it is "not confirmed". Such a coin is not listed elsewhere.

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London Mint Office coins.

Coin Type: Sixpence, Wreath First Design - (53) Coins

Coin Name	Reverse	Obverse	Details
Sixpence 1831			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 1,340,195
Sixpence 1834			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 5,892,480
Sixpence 1835			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 1,555,320
Sixpence 1836			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 1,987,920
Sixpence 1837			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 506,880
Sixpence 1838			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 1,607,760
Sixpence 1839			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 3,310,560
Sixpence 1840			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 2,098,800
Sixpence 1841			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 1,386,000
Sixpence 1842			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 601,920
Sixpence 1843			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 3,160,080
Sixpence 1844			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 3,975,846
Sixpence 1845			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 3,714,480
Sixpence 1846			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 4,268,880
Sixpence 1847			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: unknown
Sixpence 1848			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 586,080
Sixpence 1850			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 489,960
Sixpence 1851			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 2,288,107
Sixpence 1852			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 904,587
Sixpence 1853			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 3,837,930
Sixpence 1854			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 840,116
Sixpence 1855			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 1,129,084
Sixpence 1856			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 2,779,920
Sixpence 1857			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 2,233,440
Sixpence 1858			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 1,932,480
Sixpence 1859			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 4,688,640
Sixpence 1860			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 1,100,880
Sixpence 1862			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 990,000
Sixpence 1863			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 491,040
Sixpence 1864			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 4,253,040
Sixpence 1865			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 1,631,520
Sixpence 1866			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 5,140,080
Sixpence 1867			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 1,362,240
Sixpence 1868			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 1,069,200
Sixpence 1869			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 388,080
Sixpence 1870			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 479,613
Sixpence 1871			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 3,662,684
Sixpence 1872			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 3,382,049
Sixpence 1873			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 4,594,733
Sixpence 1874			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 4,225,726
Sixpence 1875			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 3,256,646
Sixpence 1876			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 941,435
Sixpence 1877			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 4,066,486
Sixpence 1878			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 2,624,525
Sixpence 1879			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 3,326,313
Sixpence 1880			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 3,892,051
Sixpence 1881			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 6,239,447
Sixpence 1882			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 759,809
Sixpence 1883			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 4,986,558
Sixpence 1884			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 3,422,565
Sixpence 1885			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 4,652,771
Sixpence 1886			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 2,728,249
Sixpence 1887 Old Wreath Design			Material: 0.925 Silver Mint: Royal Mint Mintage: 3,675,607

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Sixpence, Wreath First Design: Details

Country	United Kingdom
Currency	Pound Sterling (pre-decimal)
Sub-type of	Sixpence
From	1831
To	1887
Face Value	6 (x Penny)
Current	No (demonetised 1980)
Material	0.925 Silver
Designer	Jean Baptiste Merlen
Technology	Milled (machine-made)
Shape	Round
Orientation	Coin Alignment (Axis 6)
Size	19.0000 mm
Mass	2.8276 g

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Coins of England and the United Kingdom 2024 Decimal Issues

Sixpence, Wreath First Design: Photos

Image	Details
	Proof Coin - Sixpence, William IV, Great Britain, 1831 Copyright: Museums Victoria / CC BY Author: Justine Philip Notes: Common wreath reverse (1831 - 1887). Source
	Proof Coin - Sixpence, William IV, Great Britain, 1831 Copyright: Museums Victoria / CC BY Author: Justine Philip Notes: King William IV (1831 - 1837). Source
	Great Britain 1877 6 pence Copyright: CoinFactsWiki / CC BY-SA Author: Goldberg Coins and Collectibles Notes: Queen Victoria, Young head (1838 - 1887). Source

Sixpence, Wreath First Design, Coin Type from United Kingdom - detailed information