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Detailed information about Coin: Halfcrown 1816 from United Kingdom
| Description | A severe deficiency of silver coins in circulation in Britain in the late 18th and early 19th centuries was addressed from 1816 with the introduction of a silver coinage which did not contain metal to the value of the denomination (this was the first official "token" coinage). Gold coins were made the standard measure of value. Silver coins were only legal tender under the value of two pounds. The first bust of the King, with its broad bare shoulders was not well accepted and was discontinued after 1817, being replaced by a simpler head. |
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| Country | United Kingdom | Currency | Pound Sterling (pre-decimal) | ||||||
| Face value | 2 1/2 (x Shilling) | Type | Halfcrown George III Large Head | ||||||
| Year | 1816 | Current | No (demonetised 1970) | ||||||
| Mintage | unknown | ||||||||
| Mints |
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| Material | 0.925 Silver | Designer | Thomas Wyon | ||||||
| Monarch | King George III | Effigy | Laureate bust by Benedetto Pistrucci (Bull Head) | ||||||
| Production technology | Milled (machine-made) | Shape | Round | ||||||
| Size (mm) | Thickness (mm) | ||||||||
| Mass (g) | 14.1380 | ||||||||
| Obverse | Laureate bust of King George III (known as the "Bull Head") facing right, undraped; around, GEORGIUS III DEI GRATIA, below, 1816. |
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| Obverse inscription | GEORGIUS III DEI GRATIA 1816 | ||||||||
| Reverse | Garnished shield bearing Royal arms within the Garter, crowned, and Collar of the Order; motto on Garter, HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE; around, BRITANNIARUM REX FID: DEF:; the lower left garniture of the shield has the incuse initials WWP (for William Wesley Pole, Master of the Mint) and at lower right incuse W (for Thomas Wyon, chief engraver). |
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| Reverse inscription | BRITANNIARUM REX FID: DEF: | ||||||||
| Edge | Milled | Edge inscription | None | ||||||
| Variety | Mintage | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Proof (milled edge) | unknown (included in main number) | |
| Proof (plain edge) | unknown (included in main number) |
Coin - Halfcrown, George III, Great Britain, 1816 Copyright: Museums Victoria / CC BY Author: Justine Philip source |
Coin - Halfcrown, George III, Great Britain, 1816 Copyright: Museums Victoria / CC BY Author: Justine Philip source |
| Source | Reference ID |
|---|---|
| Krause, Standard Catalog of World Coins | Great Britain KM# 667 |
| Spink, Coins of England and the United Kingdom | 3788 |
| Source | Edition | About | Link | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Museums Victoria Collections | 2016 | Coin description | link | |
| Remick, Catalogue of British Commonwealth Coins | 1971 | Mint | ||
| Spink, Coins of England and the United Kingdom | Varieties | Proof (milled and plain edge) | ||
| Remick, Catalogue of British Commonwealth Coins | 1971 | Varieties | Proof |
| 1816 George III British Silver "Bull Head" Half Crown - Silveragecoins.com |
| Museums Victoria: Coin - Halfcrown, George III, Great Britain, 1816 | Great Britain 1816 1/2 crown - CoinFactsWiki |
| American Numismatic Society: Silver 1/2 crown, London (England) |
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| Royal Mint Bullion |