UK: George V to George VI design continuity

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Left: George VI penny.  Right: George V penny.

When George VI became king, he authorised new designs for the farthing, half penny and three pence.

Edward VIII had already approved those new designs, but no new coins were issued during his short reign.


George VI kept some designs from the reign of George V.

Above you see that he kept Britannia on the penny but added a lighthouse to the scene.

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UK penny, 1863.

Image © narracan coins

Curiously, from 1860 to 1894 the Victorian penny also featured a lighthouse.

It also featured a ship.

George VI's penny was therefore somewhat retro.

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Left: George V shilling.  Right: George VI shilling.

George VI kept the shilling design from the reign of George V.

He then added two Tudor roses to it.

It then became the so called "English shilling".

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The so called Scottish shilling, 1938.

A separate design was created for the so called "Scottish shilling".


This was an innovation in the coinage of George VI.

The previous coinages did not have such different "national" versions.

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Left: George V half crown.  Right: George VI half crown.

George VI kept the same basic design of the half crown from George V's reign.

However, he removed the small Tudor rose, thistle and shamrock from the design.


The shield was then suspended from a dangler, where the Tudor rose had previously been.

I admit that I invented the word "dangler" because I do not know the correct term. 


George VI's shield has a slightly different shape.

It is also somewhat narrower.

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I have read that the Scottish design version of the shilling was created for the Queen Mother.

That is, for George VI's then wife.

Apparently she had Scottish ancestry. Is that true or is it just a myth?

[andyg]

I have read that the Scottish design version of the shilling was created for the Queen Mother.

That is, for George VI's then wife.

Apparently she had Scottish ancestry. Is that true or is it just a myth?

It is oft repeated, but I wonder if there is a definitive source for the statement?

Question - why does the English shilling have roses between the text, yet the Scottish shilling have a blank space?

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Question - why does the English shilling have roses between the text, yet the Scottish shilling have a blank space?

The English shilling has Tudor roses to distinguish it as English and differentiate it from the UK-themed George V version.

The Scottish shilling has two Scottish symbols: the Scottish saltire (as seen on the Scottish flag) to the left of the crown and the thistle to the right.
I suppose they could have been made smaller and placed in the blank spaces, but then they would not have looked as good.

[SandyGuyUK]

I have read that the Scottish design version of the shilling was created for the Queen Mother.

That is, for George VI's then wife.

Apparently she had Scottish ancestry. Is that true or is it just a myth?

Whilst the QM was indeed of Scottish ancestry, this story is just that as the "Scottish" design was the only design for the shilling in the unissued Edward VIII series and he had no such Scottish links (other than those that the royal family always tries to project to keep the United Kingdom united... )

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Whilst the QM was indeed of Scottish ancestry, this story is just that, as the "Scottish" design was the only design for the shilling in the unissued Edward VIII series and he had no such Scottish links (other than those that the royal family always tries to project to keep the United Kingdom united... )

Is see. I quote Numista's description of Edward VIII's pattern shilling:

Scottish crest comprising facing lion seated atop a Scottish crown, holding sword and sceptre, dividing the date, saltire bearing shield to the left, thistle to the right, legend above, denomination below.


However, why did George VI need to balance the Scottish version of the shilling with an English version?
His attractive silver three pence design showed St. George's cross over a Tudor rose - a distinctly English design.
Possibly it seemed unfair that the English design was on such a paltry denomination. 

That still leaves the question of just why two versions of the shilling were required.

[andyg]

Coincraft (Lobel, 1997) states "the Scottish crest was used on the pattern shilling [of 1937] after protests from Scotland that the English Crest had been used on the shillings of Edward VII and George V.  Although it was intended in addition to strike shillings [of Edward VIII] with the English crest, only the Scottish type coins were in fact struck."

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Coincraft (Lobel, 1997) states "the Scottish crest was used on the pattern shilling [of 1937] after protests from Scotland that the English Crest had been used on the shillings of Edward VII and George V.  Although it was intended in addition to strike shillings [of Edward VIII] with the English crest, only the Scottish type coins were in fact struck."

Interesting. As for this part:

Although it was intended in addition to strike shillings [of Edward VIII] with the English crest, only the Scottish type coins were in fact struck.

- we need to emphasise that it refers to pattern coins only - not circulation coins.

Although I do not see what was wrong with using the English crest, since England is part of the UK, and the majority part at that.

[andyg]

I've seen a picture somewhere of an Edward VII pattern or trial shilling with a fish on it - a bit like a large zeppelin. I'll see if I can find it again.

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I've seen a picture somewhere of an Edward VII pattern or trial shilling with a fish on it - a bit like a large zeppelin. I'll see if I can find it again.

Image copyright: Royal Mint Museum.

Plaster for the shilling, by Harold Wilson-Parker.

This was made during the review of the coinage during the reign of Edward VIII.

The design was not adopted.

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And a seagull.




King Edward VIII also wanted new reverse designs for his coinage.

Percy Metcalfe produced an unadopted design of a seagull for the shilling.

Image copyright: Royal Mint Museum.