Shilling (Bob)

Edward VI (1547-53) inherited a low-quality, debased coinage from his father Henry VIII (1509-1547). In 1551, Edward revoked his father’s policy of debasing coinage – as low as 25% fineness - and increased it back to 0.929 Fineness, slightly higher than Sterling. This is why this period was known as the Fine Silver Issue (1551-1553). The coins we are offering are well circulated and have been flattened and polished for use as gaming counters, possibly in Victorian times. These fine silver shillings feature the bust of the “Boy King” on the obverse with Tudor rose to the right, the reverse has a Quartered shield of arms over a long cross fourchée, the legend reading “I have made God my Helper” in Latin. Most were struck in London with the Tun (barrel) mintmark, and others were struck at York and have the mintmark “Y”, We only have a limited number of these Shillings available, they are in Very Good grade, and are at least 470 years old - some of the earliest silver shillings issued in Britain.

When Elizabeth took the throne in 1558, much of the country’s coinage was in a poor state after her father, Henry VIII’s debasement of silver coins. It was Elizabeth’s intention to raise the quality of the country’s coinage back up to Sterling quality, and in 1560, the Tower mint began striking her Fine Silver coins. They feature Elizabeth facing left on the obverse and cross over a shield on the reverse, they were struck between 1560 and 1602 and are getting very expensive in higher grades. For the first time in 13 years, we’re able to offer you Elizabeth I’s Fine Silver shillings, they are graded Fair as these were heavily circulated for about a century and are now up to 463 years old.

King George II ruled from 1727-1760 and he was, of course, the son of King George I. There are two different busts of the King used on his coinage, the Young Head which was used from 1728-1745 and the Old Head which was used from 1746-1758. It is this older bust Shilling that we are offering here. The coins on offer were all struck in 1758. They were struck in Sterling Silver and have a mature bust of the King wearing a laurel wreath on one side and the crowned set of four shields on the other side. They represented England, Ireland, Scotland and France (!); you see we still claimed part of France even in those days. The Shilling is a nice-sized coin and we can offer it in Fine, remember that these coins are now 262 years old!

John Tanner designed this rather fabulous Hanoverian depiction of King George II. We have a small group of these impressive shillings in Extremely Fine grade, they’re dated 1758. The obverse features Tanner’s portrait of the King, the reverse features crowned cruciform shields with the central Garter star, with the date 1758 divided above. These fabulous shillings are 265 years old and getting rare in this grade, stocks are limited.

King George II ruled from 1727-1760 and he was, of course, the son of King George I. There are two different busts of the King used on his coinage, the Young Head which was used from 1728-1745 and the Old Head which was used from 1746-1758. It's the older bust Shilling that we are offering here. The coins were all struck in 1758, all struck in Sterling Silver and have a mature bust of the King wearing a laurel wreath on one side, and the crowned set of four shields on the other side. They represented England, Ireland, Scotland and France (!). You see, the British Monarchy still claimed part of France even back in those days... The Shilling is a nice sized coin and we can offer it in Very Fine, remember that these coins are now 263 years old!

When you joined the services, it was said that you ‘took the King’s shilling’. Here we offer the 1934 ‘King’s Shilling’. From 1927-1936 the design changed to a Lion proudly standing on a crown. The coin offered here is in selected circulated condition and struck in .500 silver.

When you joined the services, it was said that you ‘took the King’s shilling’. Here we offer 1922 ‘King’s Shilling’. From 1920-1926 the Shilling had the same design as the Sterling Silver coinage that would change after 1927. The coin offered here is in selected circulated condition and struck in .500 silver.

When you joined the services, it was said that you ‘took the King’s shilling’. Here we offer 1923 ‘King’s Shilling’. From 1920-1926 the Shilling had the same design as the Sterling Silver coinage that would change after 1927. The coin offered here is in selected circulated condition and struck in .500 silver.

When you joined the services, it was said that you ‘took the King’s shilling’. Here we offer 1924 ‘King’s Shilling’. From 1920-1926 the Shilling had the same design as the Sterling Silver coinage that would change after 1927. The coin offered here is in selected circulated condition and struck in .500 silver.

When you joined the services, it was said that you ‘took the King’s shilling’. Here we offer 1925 ‘King’s Shilling’. From 1920-1926 the Shilling had the same design as the Sterling Silver coinage that would change after 1927. The coin offered here is in selected circulated condition and struck in .500 silver.

When you joined the services, it was said that you ‘took the King’s shilling’. Here we offer 1926 ‘King’s Shilling’. From 1920-1926 the Shilling had the same design as the Sterling Silver coinage that would change after 1927. The coin offered here is in selected circulated condition and struck in .500 silver.

When you joined the services, it was said that you ‘took the King’s shilling’. Here we offer 1927 ‘King’s Shilling’. From 1920-1926 the Shilling had the same design as the Sterling Silver coinage that would change after 1927. The coin offered here is in selected circulated condition and struck in .500 silver.

When you joined the services, it was said that you ‘took the King’s shilling’. Here we offer the 1928 ‘King’s Shilling’. From 1927-1936 the design changed to a Lion proudly standing on a crown. The coin offered here is in selected circulated condition and struck in .500 silver.

When you joined the services, it was said that you ‘took the King’s shilling’. Here we offer the 1929 ‘King’s Shilling’. From 1927-to 1936 the design changed to a Lion proudly standing on a crown. The coin offered here is in selected circulated condition and struck in .500 silver.

When you joined the services, it was said that you ‘took the King’s shilling’. Here we offer the 1930 ‘King’s Shilling’. From 1927-1936 the design changed to a Lion proudly standing on a crown. The coin offered here is in selected circulated condition and struck in .500 silver.

When you joined the services, it was said that you ‘took the King’s shilling’. Here we offer the 1931 ‘King’s Shilling’. From 1927-1936 the design changed to a Lion proudly standing on a crown. The coin offered here is in selected circulated condition and struck in .500 silver.

When you joined the services, it was said that you ‘took the King’s shilling’. Here we offer the 1932 ‘King’s Shilling’. From 1927-1936 the design changed to a Lion proudly standing on a crown. The coin offered here is in selected circulated condition and struck in .500 silver.

When you joined the services, it was said that you ‘took the King’s shilling’. Here we offer the 1933 ‘King’s Shilling’. From 1927-1936 the design changed to a Lion proudly standing on a crown. The coin offered here is in selected circulated condition and struck in .500 silver.

When you joined the services, it was said that you ‘took the King’s shilling’. Here we offer the 1935 ‘King’s Shilling’. From 1927-1936 the design changed to a Lion proudly standing on a crown. The coin offered here is in selected circulated condition and struck in .500 silver.

When you joined the services, it was said that you ‘took the King’s shilling’. Here we offer the 1936 ‘King’s Shilling’. From 1927-1936 the design changed to a Lion proudly standing on a crown. The coin offered here is in selected circulated condition and struck in .500 silver.

When you joined the services, it was said that you ‘took the King’s shilling’. So it is appropriate that this issue we offer ‘The King’s Shilling’. There were two distinct types of these George V Shillings. From 1920-1926 they carried on with the design used on the Sterling Silver coinage. From 1927-1936 the design was changed to a Lion proudly standing on a crown. Presented here is 2nd type of the 1927 'King's Shilling'. The coins is in selected circulated condition and struck in .500 silver.

The first coins of King George V, were struck in 925 fine Sterling Silver 1911-1919. After that date they lowered the fineness of the silver to only 500 fine silver. I have a nice little group of these Sterling Silver Shillings in Very Good - Fine condition. Not by date but again by type. Of course the more coins you order, the more different dates we will try and give you. When you joined the Army or Navy in those days you were given a Shilling, which became known as ‘The King’s Shilling’. Many of these coins were struck during World War I and thus have even more history to offer.

Good Extremely Fine.

When you joined the services, it was said that you ‘took the King’s shilling’. Here we offer 1921 ‘King’s Shilling’. From 1920-1926 the Shilling had the same design as the Sterling Silver coinage that would change after 1927. The coin offered here is in selected circulated condition and struck in .500 silver.

It is 1935 and King George V celebrates his Silver Jubilee 1910-1935. Nylon is discovered by Wallace Carothers, Persia asks to be called Iran, ‘Land of Aryans’. The first driving tests are held in Britain. Sir Malcolm Campbell reaches 304. 331 miles per hour. Our coinage is still struck in Silver and our King has very little time left, He will die in January 1936. The coin on offer here is the Shilling, which is well known in military circles. When you joined the forces you were said to ‘Take the King’s shilling’. The Silver Jubilee Shillings is in Very Good – Fine condition and has the bare head oft he King on one side.