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 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.
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.
It was in the reign of King George VI that all silver was removed from our coinage and replaced with what we use today, cupronickel. But what many collectors don’t realise is that the cupronickel coins of George VI in choice condition are much rarer to get than choice silver coins of George VI. We purchased a group of the 1949 English Shillings, put away in 1949, and are they super! We have classed them Choice Uncirculated and Gem Uncirculated, the worst coin is far superior to what you see on the market and the finest coins are just about as good as you will ever see. The current catalogue price on this coin is £35.00 in just Uncirculated condition and all of these are much nicer than that. A chance to buy a Choice George VI 1949 English cupronickel Shilling at a price that will please you…
The shillings of George VI presented here were issued with the Scottish reverse type, and depict a crowned lion seated on top of a crown holding a sword and sceptre with the date divided in two, the legend above, and with the denomination below. All struck between 1947-1951. 5 coins in total that show the change of legend that occurred 1949 when the mint had to remove ‘IND IMP’ because the monarch was no longer Emperor of India. These were also the last Shillings struck in the reign of George VI as he died early in 1952.
World War II was over and our coinage was still struck in silver, something that would carry on for just one more year. Starting with his Coronation in 1937, the Shilling had been struck with both an English and a Scottish reverse. So this 1945 English Shilling is the penultimate English Shilling to be issued in silver. Here we offer the 1945 Shilling in Uncirculated condition. Remember these are still struck in 500 fine Silver.