Information about effigy: King George IV - Laureate Head by William Wyon

Portrait by William Wyon similar to the "Bare Head" design based on a bust by Sir Francis L. Chantrey, featuring a bare-headed profile of King George IV to left, but with laurels in hair, tied in a ribbon falling on the king's neck, the tie with loop showing only one end; his hair is short and the neck is bare. There are no designer's initials below. The King's face is slimmer than on the earlier portrait.

King George IV was never pleased with the earlier portrait designed by Pistrucci for his coins. In 1824 William Wyon was commissioned to produce this new design which was then used on most of the coins from 1825 to 1830. Halfpence of the Pistrucci design were never issued as only farthings were coined for the first five years of the reign.