Sixpence (Tanner)

In 1816 they passed the currency Reform Act which changed our coinage completely. The Guinea was out and the Sovereign was in. All coins before then were no longer legal tender. One coin that was badly needed for everyday usage was the humble sixpence. So in 1816, a new Sixpence was issued. The King hated the design and the public referred to it as the ‘Bull Head’ Sixpence because of the design. But it was only struck from 1816-1820 when a new King took the throne. Dates will be of our choice, but the more coins you order the more different dates we will try and give you.

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.

A very bright coin.

In 1887 Queen Victoria allowed the Royal Mint to change her portrait on the coinage. After all, it was her Jubilee Year and they had used her Young Head portrait since 1838. The new coins came into being, along with a new denomination, the Double Florin in 1887. We have a nice little lot of the silver Shield Sixpence coins in rather choice condition. They would look great in your collection.

In 1887 Queen Victoria celebrated her Golden Jubilee 1837-1887, so for the first time in 50 years she allowed the design of the coinage to be changed. The Sixpence had a shield on the reverse, which didn’t work at all. Crooks were gold plating them and passing them off as Half Sovereigns. So later in the year they changed the reverse and added a value within the wreath. We have a nice group of choice examples of both types of Jubilee Sixpences with the wreath reverse and the shield reverse. The coins are in Choice Uncirculated condition and are getting more and more difficult to find.

And a better date.

With wonderful underlying brilliance.

Jubilee Head Sixpence Very Good

Queen Victoria came to the throne in 1837 and in 1838 they issued her first coinage. Because she was so young when she became Queen, this new coinage became known as Young Head Coins. In 1887 when she celebrated her Gold Jubilee, she finally allowed her portrait to be changed on the coins, this new portrait became known as the Jubilee Head Coinage. It only lasted from 1887 until 1892 when it was again changed. We have spent years accumulating enough 1887 Jubilee Head coins in high grades to offer them to you. All are struck in Sterling Silver and all are dated 1887 the first year of this new coinage. For years collectors have assumed that these coins are common. But in fact, in the higher grades these coins have become very difficult to find. Prices while they have risen are still very affordable, especially when you think that they are 131 years old. On offer here is a Victoria 1887 sixpence featuring wreath in gem uncirculated grade.

Gem Uncirculated wonderful toning

Choice Uncirculated

With most brilliance, very nice.

In our opinion, the Old Head or Widow Head but of Queen Victoria is the most underappreciated of the three different busts made during her reign. Here we offer the Old Head Sixpence in Uncirculated conditon. Dates will be of our choice.

In 1893 a new portrait of Queen Victoria was used on the coins. Officially it was the Widow Head Type, unofficially it was known as the Old Head coinage. We think that after over 60 years on the Throne, Old Head is much more of an appropriate term to use. For some reason, one that we just don’t know, the sixpence is the most difficult coin to obtain. Maybe because it was one of the smallest values and actually was used in day-to-day transactions, maybe something else. All we know is the Queen Victoria Old Head Sixpence is not an easy coin to find. The coins on offer are struck in Sterling Silver and are in Very Good condition. They will date from 1893-to 1901. The more you order, the more different dates we will try to give you but remember these coins are not easy to find.

In our opinion, the Old Head or Widow Head but of Queen Victoria is the most underappreciated of the three different busts made during her reign. Here we offer the Old Head Sixpence in VG. Dates will be of our choice.

In the whole Young Head series of Queen Victorian coins, the one that we have the most difficulty in getting is the Sixpence. It was struck for years and years (1838-1887), but for some reason, this is one type coin that always seems to be missing. We have a small group of these Sterling Silver Sixpences, dates will be of our choice, but the more coins you order, the more different dates we will try and give you. They are available in Very Good.

And fully lustrous, superb.