George III 1760 - 1820

In 1799 for the first time the Halfpenny coins were struck on a steam driven press. The invention of James Watt and Mathew Boulton. The coins were thicker than the previous coins, had a high rim and a beaded edge. You have the bust of King George III on one side and a seated figure of Britannia on the other side. The coins are struck in copper rather than the later ones which used bronze. It was a relatively common coin because it was the second lowest denomination made. But over the years the supplies have dried up. From a Midlands dealer we were able to buy a nice parcel. They are used but in Very Good. Remember they are the first Halfpennies struck on a steam press and this design was used for only one year 1799.

1799 Halfpenny in Fine. The first Halfpennies struck on a steam press.

During the reign of King George III there was a great shortage of small change. The last type of Halfpenny issued for this Monarch were struck in 1806 and 1807. We recently purchased a nice group of the 1806 issue, the first year of issue in Fine and Very Fine condition. You have the bust of King George III dressed as a Roman on one side and the seated figure of Britannia on the other side. These were the last copper George III halfpennies issued. After the Currency Reform Act of 1816, they didn’t bother to issue any halfpennies.

During the reign of King George III there was a great shortage of small change. The last type of Halfpenny issued for this Monarch was struck in 1806 and 1807. We recently purchased a nice group of the 1806 issue, the first year of issue in Fine and Very Fine condition. You have the bust of King George III dressed as a Roman on one side and the seated figure of Britannia on the other side. These were the last copper George III halfpennies issued. After the Currency Reform Act of 1816, they didn’t bother to issue any halfpennies.

The coinage of King George III is rather strange, it is broken up into two sections, before the Currency Reform Act and after the Currency Reform Act. This Act was passed because of the shortage of coins, which the King because of his illness refused to allow to be made. So what did they do, after the Currency Reform Act of 1816 they struck Silver coins but did not bother to strike copper coins…! So the last design of King George III Halfpennies was issued in 1806 and 1807. It has the King’s bust with lauriate wreath on one side and a seated Britannia on the other side. These are the last George III Halfpences ever to be struck and they were struck in copper. In Very Good condition, which means that they have seen considerable wear

In 1816 there was the Currency Reform Act, which allowed coins to be struck even without the Monarch’s permission. This was put into place because of King George III’s illness and the shortage of small change. From 1816 on, new designs, new weights new everything. These are the first of the new Sterling Silver Sixpences issued from 1816-1820. You have the bullhead of the King on one side and a crowned shield on the other side. Even in this grade supplies are limited.

These George III Sterling Silver 1787 Sixpences were only struck for circulation for just one year, 1787. What is even more interesting is that they were struck for the Bank of England to give out to their favoured clients around Christmas. You have King George III in an armoured bust on the obverse and four crowns and four shields on the reverse. Today the Royal Mint is charging £95 in Fine. The reverse in some ways is even more interesting than the obverse. As you have the arms of England, Ireland, Scotland, Hanover and France. The coins on offer are very high grade and becoming very difficult to find these days. They are available in Extremely Fine. Remember that this coin is now over 230 years old and in very high quality.

Most will know about the illness of King George III, but most don’t know that because of that illness the King would not allow a law to make smaller coins to be passed. This of course caused a lot of problems with day-to-day commerce; there just were not enough small coins around to make change. There are only two silver coins struck before the Currency Reform Act of 1816, that are readily available to collectors: the George III Sixpence and the Shilling of 1787. There is a simple but almost unbelievable reason for this. These coins were struck at the Royal Mint from silver delivered from the Bank of England. The Bank decided that they would need some new shiny coins to give out to their clients at Christmas. So only the Bank of England had these silver coins, and they only handed them out during the Christmas period, and only to their wealthy clients. So now you have the whole history! You have King George III dressed in what looks like Roman armour, and on the reverse the arms of Hanover and France as well as England, Scotland, and Ireland. Back in 1787, you had to be somehow important to have one of these Sixpences, important enough to do business directly with the Bank of England, and someone they wanted to treat. We have selected some very high-quality examples of this beautiful and very important historical coin for your collection.

Before the Currency Reform Act of 1816 it was almost impossible to find a sixpence or shilling to use. Yes they did make a couple of dates but they are very expensive and very difficult to find. So these 1787 Sixpence are the only coins that you can find for your collection. They are struck in Sterling Silver. George III is dressed as a Roman Emperor on this coin, which look exactly the same except for their size difference. The reverses show the coat of arms of England, Ireland, France and Scotland. This Sixpence is far more important and difficult to get than most collectors realise. It was actually struck for the Bank of England to give out to their good customers at Christmas. Add one to your collection while you can… They were also used in Australia and are known there as Proclamation coins.

When the first convicts were sent to Australia, these George III Silver threepences of 1762 and 1763 were on board. They are highly collected in Australia as one of the first coins to come to that country. We have a small group of choice examples in Uncirculated condition. Of course most of the coins were carried by the guards, but no doubt some of the convicts had money too. These are beautiful coins with an important history to Australia and they are now almost 260 years old. These are much nice than you would usually see the 1762 and 1763 George III silver threepences. Get them while you can…