Shilling 1887 Shield, Coin from United Kingdom - detailed information

Shilling 1887 Shield, Coin from United Kingdom (demonetised 1990)
CoinShilling 1887 Shield

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.

This type of shilling was struck as part of a new coinage in gold and silver to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria - fifty years on the throne, 1837-1887. The coins all shared a new "Jubilee" obverse of the Queen by Joseph Edgar Boehm, adapted from his own Jubilee medal. The new obverse proved unpopular and was only used until 1892 on the shilling, at which time it was superseded by a new type featuring a new portrait on the obverse and three shields on the reverse.

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. Thus, a shilling coin issued in 1887 was legal tender for 103 years.

MintRoyal Mint Mint MarkNo mint mark Total Mintage 4,034,133 (4.0 million)
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Obverse
United Kingdom / Shilling 1887 Shield - obverse photo

The obverse of the coin shows an older bust of Queen Victoria facing left, wearing the small imperial crown, a long veil falling behind her head, a pearl necklace and earrings, the Ribbon and Star of the Garter and the badge of the Imperial Order of India.

The effigy was created by Joseph Edgar Boehm to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria (50 years on the throne), 1837-1887, and is known as her "Jubilee Head" portrait.

Around, the monarch's legend: VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITT: REGINA F: D:. Translated from Latin: Victoria, by the Grace of God, Queen of the British, Defender of the Faith.

The designer's initials J.E.B.. are in relief on the bust truncation.

Obverse Inscription VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITT: REGINA F: D:
Reverse
United Kingdom / Shilling 1887 Shield - reverse photo

The reverse of the coin shows the crowned and garnished shield bearing bearing 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.

"Honi soit qui mal y pense" is an Anglo-Norman maxim which means "Shame on whosoever would think badly of it," or "May he be shamed who thinks badly of it". Its literal translation from Old French is "Shame be to him who thinks evil of 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.

The crown on top is St Edward's Crown, named after Saint Edward the Confessor, one of the last Anglo-Saxon kings of England. 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 so King George IV was not himself crowned with it.

Around below, divided by the pendant of the Garter, the date of issue 1887.

Reverse Inscription HONI · SOIT · QUI · MAL · Y · PENSE · 1887
EdgeMilledEdge InscriptionNone
Notes

The mintage figure includes the wreath type shillings minted in the same year.

Shilling 1887 Shield: Known varieties
Variety Proof
Mintage Issued: 1,084
Shilling 1887 Shield: References to Information Used
SourceEditionAboutLinkNotes
Museums Victoria Collections 2016 Coin description link
Remick, Catalogue of British Commonwealth Coins 1971 Mint
Remick, Catalogue of British Commonwealth Coins 1971 Mintage Circulation and proof mintage
Remick, Catalogue of British Commonwealth Coins 1971 Varieties Proof
Showing 100 from a total of 181 coins of type: Shilling
Coin NameMintageEffigyLegend
Shilling 1816 unknown King George III - Small Head GEOR: III D: G: BRITT: REX F: D: 1816
Shilling 1817 23,031,360 King George III - Small Head GEOR: III D: G: BRITT: REX F: D: 1817
Shilling 1818 1,342,440 King George III - Small Head GEOR: III D: G: BRITT: REX F: D: 1818
Shilling 1819 7,595,280 King George III - Small Head GEOR: III D: G: BRITT: REX F: D: 1819
Shilling 1820 King George III 7,975,440 King George III - Small Head GEOR: III D: G: BRITT: REX F: D: 1820
Shilling 1820 King George IV unknown King George IV - Laureate Head GEORGIUS IIII D: G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:
Shilling 1821 2,463,000 King George IV - Laureate Head GEORGIUS IIII D: G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:
Shilling 1823 693,000 King George IV - Laureate Head GEORGIUS IIII D: G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:
Shilling 1824 4,158,000 King George IV - Laureate Head GEORGIUS IIII D: G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:
Shilling 1825 Second Issue 2,459,000 King George IV - Laureate Head GEORGIUS IIII D: G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:
Shilling 1825 Third Issue 2,459,000 King George IV - Bare Head GEORGIUS IV DEI GRATIA · 1825 ·
Shilling 1826 6,352,000 King George IV - Bare Head GEORGIUS IV DEI GRATIA · 1826 ·
Shilling 1827 574,000 King George IV - Bare Head GEORGIUS IV DEI GRATIA · 1827 ·
Shilling 1829 879,000 King George IV - Bare Head GEORGIUS IV DEI GRATIA · 1829 ·
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:
Shilling 1887 Shield 4,034,133 Queen Victoria - Jubilee Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITT: REGINA F: D:
Shilling 1888 4,526,856 Queen Victoria - Jubilee Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITT: REGINA F: D:
Shilling 1889 Small Head 7,039,628 Queen Victoria - Jubilee Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITT: REGINA F: D:
Shilling 1889 Large Head 7,039,628 Queen Victoria - Jubilee Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITT: REGINA F: D:
Shilling 1890 8,794,042 Queen Victoria - Jubilee Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITT: REGINA F: D:
Shilling 1891 5,665,348 Queen Victoria - Jubilee Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITT: REGINA F: D:
Shilling 1892 4,591,622 Queen Victoria - Jubilee Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITT: REGINA F: D:
Shilling 1893 7,040,386 Queen Victoria - Veiled Head VICTORIA · DEI · GRA · BRITT · REGINA · FID · DEF · IND · IMP ·
Shilling 1894 5,953,152 Queen Victoria - Veiled Head VICTORIA · DEI · GRA · BRITT · REGINA · FID · DEF · IND · IMP ·
Shilling 1895 8,880,651 Queen Victoria - Veiled Head VICTORIA · DEI · GRA · BRITT · REGINA · FID · DEF · IND · IMP ·
Shilling 1896 9,264,551 Queen Victoria - Veiled Head VICTORIA · DEI · GRA · BRITT · REGINA · FID · DEF · IND · IMP ·
Shilling 1897 6,270,364 Queen Victoria - Veiled Head VICTORIA · DEI · GRA · BRITT · REGINA · FID · DEF · IND · IMP ·
Shilling 1898 9,768,703 Queen Victoria - Veiled Head VICTORIA · DEI · GRA · BRITT · REGINA · FID · DEF · IND · IMP ·
Shilling 1899 10,965,382 Queen Victoria - Veiled Head VICTORIA · DEI · GRA · BRITT · REGINA · FID · DEF · IND · IMP ·
Shilling 1900 10,937,590 Queen Victoria - Veiled Head VICTORIA · DEI · GRA · BRITT · REGINA · FID · DEF · IND · IMP ·
Shilling 1901 3,426,294 Queen Victoria - Veiled Head VICTORIA · DEI · GRA · BRITT · REGINA · FID · DEF · IND · IMP ·
Shilling 1902 7,905,604 King Edward VII - Bare Head EDWARDVS VII DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Shilling 1903 2,061,823 King Edward VII - Bare Head EDWARDVS VII DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Shilling 1904 2,040,161 King Edward VII - Bare Head EDWARDVS VII DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Shilling 1905 488,390 King Edward VII - Bare Head EDWARDVS VII DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Shilling 1906 10,791,025 King Edward VII - Bare Head EDWARDVS VII DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Shilling 1907 14,083,418 King Edward VII - Bare Head EDWARDVS VII DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Shilling 1908 3,806,969 King Edward VII - Bare Head EDWARDVS VII DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Shilling 1909 5,664,982 King Edward VII - Bare Head EDWARDVS VII DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Shilling 1910 26,547,236 King Edward VII - Bare Head EDWARDVS VII DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Shilling 1911 20,071,908 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Shilling 1912 15,594,009 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Shilling 1913 9,001,509 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Shilling 1914 23,415,843 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Shilling 1915 39,279,024 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Shilling 1916 35,862,015 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Shilling 1917 22,202,608 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Showing 1 to 100 of 181 Coins.
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Shilling 1887 Shield: Details
CountryUnited Kingdom
CurrencyPound Sterling (pre-decimal)
Coin TypeShilling, Shield
Issued1887
MonarchQueen Victoria
EffigyQueen Victoria - Portrait by Joseph Edgar Boehm (Jubilee Head)
ReverseRoyal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom
Face Value1 (x Shilling)
Total Mintage4,034,133 (4.0 million)
CurrentNo; demonetised 1990
Material0.925 Silver
DesignerLeonard Charles Wyon
TechnologyMilled (machine-made)
ShapeRound
OrientationMedal Alignment (Axis 0)
Size23.5000 mm
Mass5.6552 g
OCC IDPNXY-DENZ-CKWW-EVRB
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Shilling 1887 Shield: Photos
ImageDetails
Shilling 1887 Shield: Photo Great Britain 1887 shilling KM-761 / thumbnail Great Britain 1887 shilling KM-761
Copyright: CoinFactsWiki / CC BY-SA
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Shilling 1887 Shield: Photo Great Britain 1887 shilling KM-761 / thumbnail Great Britain 1887 shilling KM-761
Copyright: CoinFactsWiki / CC BY-SA
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Source
Shilling 1887 Shield: Photo Coin - Shilling, Queen Victoria, Great Britain, 1887 / thumbnail Coin - Shilling, Queen Victoria, Great Britain, 1887
Copyright: Museums Victoria / CC BY
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Shilling 1887 Shield: Photo Coin - Shilling, Queen Victoria, Great Britain, 1887 / thumbnail Coin - Shilling, Queen Victoria, Great Britain, 1887
Copyright: Museums Victoria / CC BY
Author:
Source
Shilling 1887 Shield: Catalogue Reference IDs