Coins / United Kingdom / Halfcrown 1816

United Kingdom: Coin Halfcrown 1816

Coin	Halfcrown 1816
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.
Mint	Royal Mint
Obverse	Laureate bust of King George III (known as the "Bull Head") facing right, undraped; around, GEORGIUS III DEI GRATIA, below, 1816.
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).
Reverse Inscription	BRITANNIARUM REX FID: DEF:
Edge	Milled
Edge Inscription	None

Halfcrown 1816: Known varieties

Variety	Proof (milled edge)
Mintage	unknown (included in total)
Variety	Proof (plain edge)
Mintage	unknown (included in total)

Halfcrown 1816: References to Information Used

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

All (132) Coins of Country: United Kingdom, Type: Halfcrown

Coin Name	Mintage	Effigy	Legend
Halfcrown 1816	unknown	Laureate bust by Benedetto Pistrucci (Bull Head)	GEORGIUS III DEI GRATIA 1816
Halfcrown 1817 Small Head	8,092,656	Small Head	GEORGIUS III DEI GRATIA 1817
Halfcrown 1817 Large Head	8,092,656	Laureate bust by Benedetto Pistrucci (Bull Head)	GEORGIUS III DEI GRATIA 1817
Halfcrown 1818	2,905,056	Small Head	GEORGIUS III DEI GRATIA 1818
Halfcrown 1819	4,790,016	Small Head	GEORGIUS III DEI GRATIA 1819
Halfcrown 1820 George III	2,396,592	Small Head	GEORGIUS III DEI GRATIA 1820
Halfcrown 1820 George IV	2,396,592	Portrait by Benedetto Pistrucci (Laureate head)	GEORGIUS IIII D: G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:
Halfcrown 1821	1,435,104	Portrait by Benedetto Pistrucci (Laureate head)	GEORGIUS IIII D: G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:
Halfcrown 1823 First Issue	2,003,760	Portrait by Benedetto Pistrucci (Laureate head)	GEORGIUS IIII D: G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:
Halfcrown 1823 Second Issue	2,003,760	Portrait by Benedetto Pistrucci (Laureate head)	GEORGIUS IIII D: G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:
Halfcrown 1824 Third Issue	unknown	Portrait by Jean Baptiste Merlen	GEORGIUS IV DEI GRATIA 1824
Halfcrown 1824 Second Issue	465,696	Portrait by Benedetto Pistrucci (Laureate head)	GEORGIUS IIII D: G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:
Halfcrown 1825	2,258,784	Portrait by Jean Baptiste Merlen	GEORGIUS IV DEI GRATIA 1825
Halfcrown 1826	2,189,088	Portrait by Jean Baptiste Merlen	GEORGIUS IV DEI GRATIA 1826
Halfcrown 1828	49,890	Portrait by Jean Baptiste Merlen	GEORGIUS IV DEI GRATIA 1828
Halfcrown 1829	508,464	Portrait by Jean Baptiste Merlen	GEORGIUS IV DEI GRATIA 1829
Halfcrown 1831 (Proof only)	unknown	Portrait by William Wyon	GULIELMUS IIII D:G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:
Halfcrown 1834	993,168	Portrait by William Wyon	GULIELMUS IIII D:G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:
Halfcrown 1835	281,952	Portrait by William Wyon	GULIELMUS IIII D:G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:
Halfcrown 1836	1,588,752	Portrait by William Wyon	GULIELMUS IIII D:G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:
Halfcrown 1837	150,526	Portrait by William Wyon	GULIELMUS IIII D:G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:
Halfcrown 1839	unknown	Portrait by William Wyon (Young Head)	VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1839
Halfcrown 1840	386,496	Portrait by William Wyon (Young Head)	VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1840
Halfcrown 1841	42,768	Portrait by William Wyon (Young Head)	VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1841
Halfcrown 1842	486,288	Portrait by William Wyon (Young Head)	VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1842
Halfcrown 1843	454,608	Portrait by William Wyon (Young Head)	VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1843
Halfcrown 1844	1,999,008	Portrait by William Wyon (Young Head)	VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1844
Halfcrown 1845	2,231,856	Portrait by William Wyon (Young Head)	VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1845
Halfcrown 1846	1,907,136	Portrait by William Wyon (Young Head)	VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1846
Halfcrown 1848	367,488	Portrait by William Wyon (Young Head)	VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1848
Halfcrown 1849	261,360	Portrait by William Wyon (Young Head)	VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1849
Halfcrown 1850	483,120	Portrait by William Wyon (Young Head)	VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1850
Halfcrown 1853 (Proof only)	unknown	Portrait by William Wyon (Young Head)	VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1853
Halfcrown 1862 (Proof only)	unknown	Portrait by William Wyon (Young Head)	VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1862
Halfcrown 1864 (Proof only)	unknown	Portrait by William Wyon (Young Head)	VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1864
Halfcrown 1874	2,188,599	Portrait by William Wyon (Young Head)	VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1874
Halfcrown 1875	1,113,843	Portrait by William Wyon (Young Head)	VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1875
Halfcrown 1876	633,221	Portrait by William Wyon (Young Head)	VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1876
Halfcrown 1877	447,059	Portrait by William Wyon (Young Head)	VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1877
Halfcrown 1878	1,466,323	Portrait by William Wyon (Young Head)	VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1878
Halfcrown 1879	901,356	Portrait by William Wyon (Young Head)	VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1879
Halfcrown 1880	1,346,350	Portrait by William Wyon (Young Head)	VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1880
Halfcrown 1881	2,301,495	Portrait by William Wyon (Young Head)	VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1881
Halfcrown 1882	808,227	Portrait by William Wyon (Young Head)	VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1882
Halfcrown 1883	2,982,779	Portrait by William Wyon (Young Head)	VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1883
Halfcrown 1884	1,569,175	Portrait by William Wyon (Young Head)	VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1884
Halfcrown 1885	1,628,438	Portrait by William Wyon (Young Head)	VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1885
Halfcrown 1886	891,767	Portrait by William Wyon (Young Head)	VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1886
Halfcrown 1887 Young Head	1,438,046	Portrait by William Wyon (Young Head)	VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1887
Halfcrown 1887 Jubilee Head	1,438,046	Portrait by Joseph Edgar Boehm (Jubilee head)	VICTORIA DEI GRATIA
Halfcrown 1888	1,428,787	Portrait by Joseph Edgar Boehm (Jubilee head)	VICTORIA DEI GRATIA
Halfcrown 1889	4,811,954	Portrait by Joseph Edgar Boehm (Jubilee head)	VICTORIA DEI GRATIA
Halfcrown 1890	3,228,111	Portrait by Joseph Edgar Boehm (Jubilee head)	VICTORIA DEI GRATIA
Halfcrown 1891	2,284,632	Portrait by Joseph Edgar Boehm (Jubilee head)	VICTORIA DEI GRATIA
Halfcrown 1892	1,710,946	Portrait by Joseph Edgar Boehm (Jubilee head)	VICTORIA DEI GRATIA
Halfcrown 1893	1,793,912	Portrait by Sir Thomas Brock (Veiled Head)	VICTORIA DEI. GRA. BRITT. REG.
Halfcrown 1894	1,524,960	Portrait by Sir Thomas Brock (Veiled Head)	VICTORIA DEI. GRA. BRITT. REG.
Halfcrown 1895	1,772,662	Portrait by Sir Thomas Brock (Veiled Head)	VICTORIA DEI. GRA. BRITT. REG.
Halfcrown 1896	2,148,505	Portrait by Sir Thomas Brock (Veiled Head)	VICTORIA DEI. GRA. BRITT. REG.
Halfcrown 1897	1,678,643	Portrait by Sir Thomas Brock (Veiled Head)	VICTORIA DEI. GRA. BRITT. REG.
Halfcrown 1898	1,870,055	Portrait by Sir Thomas Brock (Veiled Head)	VICTORIA DEI. GRA. BRITT. REG.
Halfcrown 1899	2,863,872	Portrait by Sir Thomas Brock (Veiled Head)	VICTORIA DEI. GRA. BRITT. REG.
Halfcrown 1900	4,479,128	Portrait by Sir Thomas Brock (Veiled Head)	VICTORIA DEI. GRA. BRITT. REG.
Halfcrown 1901	1,576,570	Portrait by Sir Thomas Brock (Veiled Head)	VICTORIA DEI. GRA. BRITT. REG.
Halfcrown 1902	1,331,131	Portrait by George William de Saulles (Bare Head)	EDWARDVS VII DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Halfcrown 1903	274,840	Portrait by George William de Saulles (Bare Head)	EDWARDVS VII DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Halfcrown 1904	709,652	Portrait by George William de Saulles (Bare Head)	EDWARDVS VII DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Halfcrown 1905	166,000	Portrait by George William de Saulles (Bare Head)	EDWARDVS VII DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Halfcrown 1906	2,886,206	Portrait by George William de Saulles (Bare Head)	EDWARDVS VII DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Halfcrown 1907	3,693,930	Portrait by George William de Saulles (Bare Head)	EDWARDVS VII DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Halfcrown 1908	1,758,889	Portrait by George William de Saulles (Bare Head)	EDWARDVS VII DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Halfcrown 1909	3,051,592	Portrait by George William de Saulles (Bare Head)	EDWARDVS VII DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Halfcrown 1910	2,557,685	Portrait by George William de Saulles (Bare Head)	EDWARDVS VII DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Halfcrown 1911	2,920,580	Portrait by Bertram Mackennal (Bare Head)	GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Halfcrown 1912	4,700,789	Portrait by Bertram Mackennal (Bare Head)	GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Halfcrown 1913	4,090,169	Portrait by Bertram Mackennal (Bare Head)	GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Halfcrown 1914	18,333,003	Portrait by Bertram Mackennal (Bare Head)	GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Halfcrown 1915	32,433,066	Portrait by Bertram Mackennal (Bare Head)	GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Halfcrown 1916	29,530,020	Portrait by Bertram Mackennal (Bare Head)	GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Halfcrown 1917	11,172,052	Portrait by Bertram Mackennal (Bare Head)	GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Halfcrown 1918	29,079,592	Portrait by Bertram Mackennal (Bare Head)	GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Halfcrown 1919	10,266,737	Portrait by Bertram Mackennal (Bare Head)	GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Halfcrown 1920	17,983,077	Portrait by Bertram Mackennal (Bare Head)	GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Halfcrown 1921	23,677,889	Portrait by Bertram Mackennal (Bare Head)	GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Halfcrown 1922	16,396,774	Portrait by Bertram Mackennal (Bare Head)	GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Halfcrown 1923	26,308,526	Portrait by Bertram Mackennal (Bare Head)	GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Halfcrown 1924	5,866,294	Portrait by Bertram Mackennal (Bare Head)	GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Halfcrown 1925	1,413,461	Portrait by Bertram Mackennal (Bare Head)	GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Halfcrown 1926	4,473,516	Portrait by Bertram Mackennal (Bare Head)	GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Halfcrown 1927 Old Design	6,852,872	Portrait by Bertram Mackennal (Bare Head)	GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Halfcrown 1927 New Design	15,000	Portrait by Bertram Mackennal (Bare Head)	GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Halfcrown 1928	18,762,727	Portrait by Bertram Mackennal (Bare Head)	GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Halfcrown 1929	17,632,636	Portrait by Bertram Mackennal (Bare Head)	GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Halfcrown 1930	809,501	Portrait by Bertram Mackennal (Bare Head)	GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Halfcrown 1931	11,264,468	Portrait by Bertram Mackennal (Bare Head)	GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Halfcrown 1932	4,793,643	Portrait by Bertram Mackennal (Bare Head)	GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Halfcrown 1933	10,311,494	Portrait by Bertram Mackennal (Bare Head)	GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Halfcrown 1934	2,422,399	Portrait by Bertram Mackennal (Bare Head)	GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Halfcrown 1935	7,022,216	Portrait by Bertram Mackennal (Bare Head)	GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Halfcrown 1936	7,039,423	Portrait by Bertram Mackennal (Bare Head)	GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Halfcrown 1937	9,132,842	King George VI by Thomas Humphrey Paget	GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX
Halfcrown 1938	6,426,478	King George VI by Thomas Humphrey Paget	GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX
Halfcrown 1939	15,478,635	King George VI by Thomas Humphrey Paget	GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX
Halfcrown 1940	17,948,439	King George VI by Thomas Humphrey Paget	GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX
Halfcrown 1941	15,773,984	King George VI by Thomas Humphrey Paget	GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX
Halfcrown 1942	31,220,090	King George VI by Thomas Humphrey Paget	GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX
Halfcrown 1943	15,462,875	King George VI by Thomas Humphrey Paget	GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX
Halfcrown 1944	15,255,165	King George VI by Thomas Humphrey Paget	GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX
Halfcrown 1945	19,849,242	King George VI by Thomas Humphrey Paget	GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX
Halfcrown 1946	22,724,873	King George VI by Thomas Humphrey Paget	GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX
Halfcrown 1947	21,911,484	King George VI by Thomas Humphrey Paget	GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX
Halfcrown 1948	71,164,703	King George VI by Thomas Humphrey Paget	GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX
Halfcrown 1949	28,272,512	King George VI by Thomas Humphrey Paget	GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX
Halfcrown 1950	28,353,013	King George VI by Thomas Humphrey Paget	GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX
Halfcrown 1951	9,003,520	King George VI by Thomas Humphrey Paget	GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX
Halfcrown 1952	2	King George VI by Thomas Humphrey Paget	GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX
Halfcrown 1953	3,923,214	Portrait by Mary Gillick (First Portrait)	ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA BRITT: OMN: REGINA
Halfcrown 1954	11,614,953	Portrait by Mary Gillick (First Portrait)	ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA
Halfcrown 1955	23,628,726	Portrait by Mary Gillick (First Portrait)	ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA
Halfcrown 1956	33,934,909	Portrait by Mary Gillick (First Portrait)	ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA
Halfcrown 1957	34,200,563	Portrait by Mary Gillick (First Portrait)	ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA
Halfcrown 1958	15,745,688	Portrait by Mary Gillick (First Portrait)	ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA
Halfcrown 1959	9,028,844	Portrait by Mary Gillick (First Portrait)	ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA
Halfcrown 1960	19,929,191	Portrait by Mary Gillick (First Portrait)	ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA
Halfcrown 1961	25,887,897	Portrait by Mary Gillick (First Portrait)	ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA
Halfcrown 1962	23,998,112	Portrait by Mary Gillick (First Portrait)	ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA
Halfcrown 1963	17,572,800	Portrait by Mary Gillick (First Portrait)	ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA
Halfcrown 1964	4,576,800	Portrait by Mary Gillick (First Portrait)	ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA
Halfcrown 1965	8,124,800	Portrait by Mary Gillick (First Portrait)	ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA
Halfcrown 1966	14,811,200	Portrait by Mary Gillick (First Portrait)	ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA
Halfcrown 1967	21,000,000	Portrait by Mary Gillick (First Portrait)	ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA
Halfcrown 1970 (Proof only)	750,476	Portrait by Mary Gillick (First Portrait)	ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA

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Royal Mint Bullion

Halfcrown 1816: Details

Country	United Kingdom
Currency	Pound Sterling (pre-decimal)
Period	Pound Sterling (pre-decimal) (1801 - 1971)
Coin Type	Halfcrown George III Large Head
Issued	1816
Monarch	King George III
Effigy	Laureate bust by Benedetto Pistrucci (Bull Head)
Face Value	2 1/2 (x Shilling)
Current	No (demonetised 1970)
Mintage	unknown
Material	0.925 Silver
Designer	Thomas Wyon
Technology	Milled (machine-made)
Shape	Round
Size (mm)
Mass (g)	14.1380

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Halfcrown 1816: Photos

Image	Details
	Great Britain 1816 1/2 crown Copyright: CoinFactsWiki / CC BY-SA Author: Stack's Bowers Source
	Great Britain 1816 1/2 crown Copyright: CoinFactsWiki / CC BY-SA Author: Stack's Bowers Source
	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
	Silver 1/2 crown, Great Britain Copyright: American Numismatic Society / CC BY NC Source
	Silver 1/2 crown, Great Britain Copyright: American Numismatic Society / CC BY NC Source

Halfcrown 1816: Catalogue Reference IDs

Source	Reference ID
Krause, Standard Catalog of World Coins	Great Britain KM# 667
Spink, Coins of England and the United Kingdom	3788

Relevant Links

Museums Victoria: Coin - Halfcrown, George III, Great Britain, 1816

Great Britain 1816 1/2 crown - CoinFactsWiki

1816 George III British Silver "Bull Head" Half Crown - Silveragecoins.com

American Numismatic Society: Silver 1/2 crown, London (England)

United Kingdom: Coin Halfcrown 1816 - detailed information