English Coinage of the Stuarts Post-Commonwealth

[Deeman]

Sixpence

The sixpence was 21mm diameter. Struck 1693-94.

The obverse depicts laureate and draped conjoined busts right with a circumscription of 'William and Mary, by the Grace of God'. The reverse depicts the crowned cruciform arrangement of the Arms of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, central Lion of Orange-Nassau surrounded by small billets and encased in a frame of four wavy cords, 'WM' monogram in angles, date as a separate numeral below each monogram, with a circumscription, divided by crowns and continuing the monarch's titles, translating to 'Great Britain, France and Ireland, King and Queen'.



1693 dated silver sixpence, conjoined busts.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS ET MARIA DEI GRATIA, pellet stops.
Reverse inscription is MAG BR / FR ET HI / REX ET / REGINA, pellet stops, pointed shields.

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Small silver issues

The denominations of fourpence, threepence, twopence and penny were struck for currency as well as for Maundy money. Fourpence 19-20mm dia; threepence 17mm dia; twopence 14mm dia; penny 12mm dia. Each denomination struck 1689-94.

The obverse depicts laureate conjoined busts right with a circumscription, either continuous or divided by the heads, of 'William and Mary, by the Grace of God'. The reverse depicts a crowned mark of value in Arabic numerals, date either continuous or divided by the crown, with a circumscription continuing the monarch's titles, translating to 'Great Britain, France and Ireland, King and Queen'.




1689 dated Maundy and currency set.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS ET MARIA D G, pellet stops, first busts 4d and 3d.
Reverse inscription is MAG BR FR ET HIB REX ET REGINA, pellet stops.




1693 dated Maundy and currency set.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS ET / MARIA D G, pellet stops, second busts 4d and 3d (wreath tie), heads divide inscriptions.
Reverse inscription is MAG BR FR ET HIB REX ET REGINA, pellet stops.




1694 dated Maundy and currency set.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS ET / MARIA D G, pellet stops, second busts 4d and 3d, heads divide inscriptions.
Reverse inscription is MAG BR FR ET HIB REX ET REGINA, pellet stops, crown divides date on 3d, 2d and 1d.

[Deeman]

Tin Coinage 1689-92

Both tin halfpenny and farthings were coined with a central copper plug and edge lettering as anti-counterfeiting measures. They all have an edge inscription which translates to 'Servant of the coinage'. Some early strikes are dated on the edge rather than in the reverse exergue. The lettered edge was applied before striking. Unlike Charles II and James II, the profile of the monarchs aligns with their gold and silver issues, facing right.

Halfpenny

The tin halfpenny was 28-29mm diameter. Struck 1689-90 with edge date and 1691-92 with exergue date.

The obverse depicts either small draped or large cuirassed laureate conjoined busts facing right with a circumscription, divided by the heads, of 'William and Mary'. The reverse depicts Britannia facing left seated on a globe with ornamented shield behind, clothed in clinging drapery, right hand extended out holding an olive branch, left hand holding spear, left leg extended, circumscribed by BRITANNIA divided by the design.




1689 edge-dated tin halfpenny. Very rare.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS / ET MARIA, pellet stops, small draped busts.
Reverse inscription is BRITAN / NIA, pellet stop.
Edge inscription is NVMMORVM FAMVLVS 1689.




1690 edge-dated tin halfpenny.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS / ET MARIA, pellet stops, large cuirassed busts.
Reverse inscription is BRITAN / NIA, pellet stop.
Edge inscription is NVMMORVM FAMVLVS 1690.




1691 dated tin halfpenny.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS / ET MARIA, pellet stops, large cuirassed busts.
Reverse inscription is BRITAN / NIA, pellet stop, date in exergue.
Edge inscription is NVMMORVM FAMVLVS.

[Deeman]

Farthing

The tin farthing was 23-24mm diameter and struck in 1689-92.

The obverse depicts either small draped or large cuirassed laureate conjoined busts facing right with a circumscription, divided by the heads, of 'William and Mary'. The reverse depicts Britannia facing left seated on a globe with ornamented shield behind, clothed in clinging drapery, right hand extended out holding an olive branch, left hand holding spear, right leg extended, circumscribed by BRITANNIA divided by the design.




1689 dated tin farthing.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS / ET MARIA, small draped busts.
Reverse inscription is BRITAN / NIA, pellet stop, date in exergue.
Edge inscription is NVMMORVM FAMVLVS.




1690 dated tin farthing.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS / ET MARIA, pellet stops, large cuirassed busts.
Reverse inscription is BRITAN / NIA, pellet stop, date in exergue.
Edge inscription is NVMMORVM FAMVLVS.

[Deeman]

Copper Coinage 1694

Eventually it became obvious that tin coinage was unsuitable. Damp and humid weather caused the tin coinage to suffer from corrosion and deterioration and would last as long in circulation as copper ones. With the renewed production of copper coins, a new arrangement was tried whereby the minting of coppers was contracted out to a private company working at the Royal Mint. In the past small change production was contracted by the Mint. Most of the contractors were salaried, so that profits went to the king. Now the entire operation was licenced to a partnership consisting of Joseph Herne, Francis Parry, George Clark, Abel Slaney and Daniel Bartow, who would sustain any loss or reap any profit from the enterprise. Under the terms of this warrant the blank planchets were produced at the Mint.

Halfpenny

The copper halfpenny was 30-31mm diameter.

The obverse depicts laureate and cuirassed conjoined busts facing right with a circumscription, divided by the heads, of 'William and Mary'. The reverse depicts Britannia facing left seated on a globe with ornamented shield behind, clothed in clinging drapery, right hand extended out holding an olive branch, left hand holding spear, left leg extended, circumscribed by BRITANNIA divided by the design, date in exergue.



1694 dated copper halfpenny.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS / ET MARIA, pellet stops.
Reverse inscription is BRITAN / NIA, pellet stop.

[Deeman]

Farthing

The copper farthing was 24mm diameter.

The obverse depicts laureate and cuirassed conjoined busts facing right with a circumscription, divided by the heads, of 'William and Mary'. The reverse depicts Britannia facing left seated on a globe with ornamented shield behind, clothed in clinging drapery, right hand extended out holding an olive branch, left hand holding spear, right leg extended, circumscribed by BRITANNIA divided by the design, date in exergue.



1694 dated copper farthing.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS / ET MARIA, pellet stops.
Reverse inscription is BRITAN / NIA, pellet stop.

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Patterns

Halfpenny

A number of patterns, without dates, were made for the coinage showing the busts of the two sovereigns on opposite sides, with an attribution to Norbert Roettier. Thought to be experimental pieces and never entered circulation.



c1689 undated pattern copper halfpenny, William on obverse, Mary on reverse.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS III DEI GRATIA, colon stops, five pellets under bust.
Reverse inscription is MARIA II DEI GRATIA, colon stops, four pellets under bust.


The halfpenny was 31mm diameter.

The obverse depicts laureate and cuirassed conjoined busts facing right with a circumscription, divided by the heads, of 'William and Mary'. The reverse depicts Britannia facing left seated either on a chair or globe with ornamented shield behind, clothed in clinging drapery, right hand extended out holding an olive branch, left hand holding spear, left leg extended, circumscribed by BRITANNIA divided by the design, date in exergue.



1694 dated pattern copper halfpenny.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS / ET MARIA, pellet stops.
Reverse inscription is BRITAN / NIA, Britannia on chair.



1694 dated pattern silver halfpenny.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS / ET MARIA, pellet stops.
Reverse inscription is BRITAN / NIA, Britannia on globe.


Trial halfpenny with obverse depicting laureate and cuirassed conjoined busts facing right with a circumscription, divided by the heads, of 'William and Mary'. The reverse depicts a shield bearing the crosses of St George and St Andrew with ENGLISH left and COPPER right. Most probably an official piece to determine the striking qualities of English copper, in preparation for the copper issue authorised by the House of Commons on 17 Apr 1694. Extremely Rare.



1694 undated trial copper halfpenny.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS / ET MARIA.
Reverse inscription is ENGLISH / COPPER.

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Farthing

Some of these so-called pattern farthings may be considered as medalets or jettons. They are categorised as farthings but sizes vary, some being larger and some being smaller than the farthing.


A number of patterns, without dates, were made for the coinage showing the busts of the two sovereigns on opposite sides, with an attribution to Norbert Roettier. Thought to be experimental pieces and never entered circulation.



c1689 undated pattern copper farthing, William on obverse, Mary on reverse.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELM / VS REX, pellet stop.
Reverse inscription is MARIA / REGINA.



c1689 undated pattern farthing struck in copper and silver, William on obverse, Mary on reverse.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS / III DEI GRATIA, pellet stops, lock of hair over left shoulder.
Reverse inscription is MARIA II / DEI GRA, pellet stops, lock of hair over left shoulder.




c1689 undated pattern farthing struck in copper and silver, William on obverse.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS / III DEI GRATIA, pellet stops, lock of hair over left shoulder.
Reverse inscription is IGNIBVS IMPAR (Vanquished by fire), pellet stops, blazing French ship, flag at stern bearing lis.




c1689 undated pattern farthing struck in copper and silver, Mary on obverse.
Obverse inscription is MARIA II / DEI GRA, pellet stops, lock of hair over left shoulder.
Reverse inscription is EX CANDORE DECVS (Honour from sincerity), pellet stops, rose on leafed stem.




c1689 undated pattern silver farthing, Mary on obverse.
Obverse inscription is MARIA II / DEI GRA, pellet stops, lock of hair over left shoulder.
Reverse inscription is EX NOCTE DIEM (From night to day), full moon shining from among clouds on a landscape.


Double reverse strike. First reverse design depicts a crown supported by three pillars bearing respectively the words RELIGIO, LEX ET, LIBERTAS (religion, law and liberty) with an inscription translating to 'These (I) support'. The second reverse design is an arm issuing from clouds on each side, grasping together a sceptre which passes through a crown with a circumscription translating to 'Love of country brings salvation'.



c1689 undated pattern mule silver farthing, two proposed reverses.
First reverse inscription is HISCE SVFFVLTA, pellet stops.
Second reverse inscription is AMOR PATRIÆ O / SALVS / IVNGIT, start incorrectly positioned, pellet stops.


Obverse design is laureate and draped conjoined busts with an inscription, divided by the heads, translating to 'William and Mary, by the Grace of God'. The reverse design is a crown supported by three pillars bearing respectively the words RELIGIO, LEX ET, LIBERTAS (religion, law and liberty) with an inscription translating to 'These (I) support'.



c1689 undated pattern silver farthing. Also struck in copper, yellow metal and gold.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS ET / MARIA D G, pellet stops.
Reverse inscription is HISCE SVFFVLTA, pellet stops.


Obverse design is laureate and draped conjoined busts with a circumscription, divided by the heads, translating to 'William and Mary, by the Grace of God'. The reverse design is an arm issuing from clouds on each side, grasping together a sceptre which passes through a crown with a circumscription translating to 'Love of country brings salvation'.



c1689 undated pattern silver farthing. Also struck in copper, tin and dual metal (part copper and part brass).
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS ET / MARIA D G, pellet stops.
Reverse inscription is AMOR PATRIÆ O SALVS / IVNGIT, pellet stops.


The obverse depicts laureate and cuirassed conjoined busts facing right with a circumscription, divided by the heads, of 'William and Mary'. The reverse depicts Britannia facing left seated on a globe with ornamented shield behind, clothed in clinging drapery, right hand extended out holding an olive branch, left hand holding spear, right leg extended, circumscribed by BRITANNIA divided by the design, date in exergue.



1692 dated pattern brass farthing.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS / ET MARIA, pellet stops.
Reverse inscription is BRITAN / NIA, pellet stop.



1694 dated pattern silver farthing.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS / ET MARIA, pellet stops.
Reverse inscription is BRITAN / NIA, pellet stop.


The following two pieces are inserted here for the sake of convenience, though chronologically their proper position would be among the pieces struck after the death of Mary.



c1694/5 undated pattern silver farthing.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS / III DEI GRATIA, pellet stops, lock of hair over left shoulder.
Reverse inscription is IGNIBVS IMPAR (Vanquished by fire), pellet stops, blazing ship, sun with rays on stern.



c1694/5 undated pattern silver farthing.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS / III DEI GRATIA, pellet stops, lock of hair over left shoulder.
Reverse inscription is NON DEVIO (I don't deviate), sun with sad face and rays.

[Deeman]

Brockage

The term brockage refers to a type of error coin in which one side of the coin has the normal design and the other side has a mirror image of the same design impressed upon it.



1689-94 silver twopence obverse.

[Deeman]

William III

Mary died of smallpox in 1694 and had no surviving children. William now ruled alone. The Peace of Rijswijk in 1697 marked the end of the war with in Flanders with Louis XIV. William formed an alliance between England, the Dutch Republic (provinces of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Gelderland, Overijssel, Groningen and Friesland) and Austria to prevent the union of the French and Spanish crowns. This became known as the 'War of Spanish Succession' (1701-14) triggered by the death in Nov 1700 of the childless Charles II of Spain.

Just prior to Mary's death in 1694, the Bank of England was formed as a private bank acting as a banker to the Government. It was primarily founded to fund the war effort against France. The need for a central bank was seen by a Scotsman, William Paterson, who noticed that the nation's finances had been in disarray and had no real system of money or credit.

With Britain's currency in such a disastrous state and having seen the failed attempts by those before him, William was determined to put it right, and he set a plan in motion that would later come to be known as the 'Great Recoinage of 1696.'

By 1695, high-value gold coins were plentiful in England but there was a notable shortage of small-denomination silver coins, creating a monetary contraction inhibiting payment to British soldiers in the Nine Years' War with France and impeding everyday transactions between individuals. The coinage in circulation in England was badly worn and clipped to leave just enough of the original coin that it would still pass for full value. Shaving slivers of silver was very profitable and the practice so widespread and repeated to such an extent that there was little money-that was worth what it was supposed to be worth. Forgery was another problem and by 1696 forged coins constituted approx. 10% of currency. To compound the situation, new 'milled' silver coins were more valuable as 'silver bullion' in Paris and Amsterdam than the face value in England.

The great scheme, initiated by the Advisers of William, for calling in and recoining the hammered money, was admirably planned and rapidly carried out, though at great loss and inconvenience to the public.

The Great Recoinage was completed by 1699, but whether it could be called a success is questionable. While it did indeed improve the state of Britain's coinage and proved the Government's ability to handle the country's financial matters, it brought many problems. The public was told that each old coin that was brought in would be refunded at face value, no matter the state it was in. The temptation to file down the precious metal and keep some shavings to sell on was too strong for many. The value that the Government brought in through returned coins was very low, and it likely wasn't helped by this last-minute clipping frenzy. There was also a worrying level of civil unrest. Though there were six mints working to produce enough new coins to replace all the old, it took some time. After handing in their coins and with no remaining coins to pay for anything, many people become very worried about their financial state and refused to pay for anything. This nationwide feeling of unease caused the Government concerns of riots. It was clear something needed to be done. In the end, the Government decided to issue paper bank notes, to bridge the gap until the new coins were rolled out.

But the most infamous issue was the 1696 Window Tax. The cost of producing new money and swapping it for the nation's clipped coins was huge. This money had to come from somewhere, so the Government brought in the notorious Window Tax. Households were taxed on the number of windows they had, as well as ventilation openings. In efforts to pay as little extra tax as possible, many people bricked up their windows and covered their vents. The resulting reduction in access to light and air brought widespread anguish and illness, including cholera, typhus and smallpox. The tax was wildly unpopular and continued to cause misery for many years.

In Feb 1701/2, while riding his favourite horse Sorrell from Hampton Court, the animal stumbled on a mole's burrow and William fell badly, breaking his collar bone. It was set by a surgeon, but instead of resting, he travelled back to Kensington Palace by coach, against advice. A week later the fracture was not mending well and William contracted a pulmonary fever. After a few days of deteriorating health, he died on 8 Mar. His delighted enemies, Jacobite adherents, subsequently toasted, in reference to the mole, "the little gentleman in black velvet".

[Deeman]

William III Coinage

On 28 Dec 1694, Mary died of smallpox in her bedchamber, leaving William broken-hearted and alone. No change occurred in the denominations of the gold, silver and base metal coins, the latter being, however, of copper only. The weight and fineness too of the gold and silver money remained unaltered. The coinage, though, needed to be redesigned once again and, in the following year, the designs reverted back to the more familiar single portrait with greater uniformity in the reverse types, aligning them to the coinages of Charles II and James II.

In the 1690s, England faced monetary difficulties. The coinage problem had its origins in the coin being the monetary base of a specie system. Given that precious metals had a market price, coins could be clipped or shaved and the silver or gold gained could be melted into bullion and sold. This was the problem of the 1690s, as the bullion market price of silver rose, there were profits to be made from clipping the coinage. By 1696 over 50% of the silver content of the coinage was removed. The effects of clipping the coinage had resulted in the specie system being strained as the face value of the coinage did not correspond with the metal content. These complications resulted in the eroding of confidence in the coin and the rising of transactions costs. While England used both gold and silver it was the silver coin that was being clipped due to the ratio of gold to silver being upset by the high mint price of gold and the high bullion price of silver.

In 1695/6 it was decided that all hammered silver coins that were still in circulation were to be replaced, setting in motion the recoinage of silver that became an important moment in British monetary history because it set Britain on a course that eventually led to the adoption of the gold standard.

Naturally, this was quite a big task so the Tower Mint also opened regional mints in 1696 in York, Chester, Norwich, Exeter and Bristol to help produce the new coins. Crown coins were produced at the Tower Mint as it was home to the heavier presses that were needed for the crowns, while the halfcrown, shilling and sixpence were produced at the branch mints. Small silver denominations continued to be struck at the Tower. The coins produced at the provincial mints are only dated 1696 and 1697, and are identified by having the mint's first letter B, C, E, N, y or Y beneath the king's bust. For some reason York adopted letters of two different characters. They were in operation for two years or so providing useful capacity as well as an additional means by which silver could be called in from parts of the country some distance from London. Exeter and York were operational by August, with Norwich and Bristol up and running from September and Chester in October 1696. From a peak period of production through the spring and summer of 1697 output declined and by the summer of the following year all of these mints had been wound up. Norwich and York closed Apr 1698, Chester in June, Exeter in July and finally Bristol in Sep 1698.

Gold did not form part of the recoinage but through a separate series of measures the government succeeded in arresting the ascent in its price, while after the recoinage the position of silver, too, stabilised. The intrinsic value of the guinea in 1694 had stood at 30/- and was gradually reduced by Act of Parliament to 28/-, then to 26/-, 22/- and finally in 1698 to 21/6, at which value it remained till 1717 when it was further reduced to 21/-.

Format

William III is presented in sections as follows:

Gold coinage 1695-1701.
Recoinage silver 1695-97.
Post-recoinage silver 1698-1702 (1702 only applying to the fourpence).
Copper coinage 1695-1701.
Patterns.
Brockage.

[Deeman]

Gold Coinage 1695-1701

Five guineas

The five-guinea coin was 0.916 fine (22ct), 37mm diameter, current for £5. Struck 1699-1701.

The obverse depicts a laureate bust of the king right with a circumscription, divided by the head, of 'William III, by the Grace of God'. The reverse depicts the crowned cruciform arrangement of the Arms of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, emblem-adorned sceptres (orb, thistle, lis, harp) in angles to right of their respective shields, central Lion of Orange-Nassau surrounded by small billets and encased in a frame of four wavy cords, date flanking crown above English shield, with a circumscription, divided by crowns and continuing the king's titles, translating to 'Great Britain, France and Ireland, King'.




1699 dated gold five guineas, first bust.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS / III DEI GRA, pellet stops, elephant and castle below.
Reverse inscription is MAG / BR FRA / ET HIB / REX, pellet stops.
Edge inscription is DECVS ET TVTAMEN (An Ornament and a Safeguard) then ANNO REGNI UNDECIMO (11th year).




1700 dated gold five guineas, first bust.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS / III DEI GRA, pellet stops.
Reverse inscription is MAG / BR FRA / ET HIB / REX, pellet stops.
Edge inscription is DECVS ET TVTAMEN (An Ornament and a Safeguard) then ANNO REGNI DVODECIMO (12th year).




1701 dated gold five guineas, second bust.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS / III DEI GRA, pellet stops.
Reverse inscription is MAG / BR FRA / ET HIB / REX, pellet stops, plain sceptres.
Edge inscription is DECVS ET TVTAMEN (An Ornament and a Safeguard) then ANNO REGNI DECIMO TERTIO (13th regnal year).




1701 dated gold five guineas, second bust.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS / III DEI GRA, pellet stops.
Reverse inscription is MAG / BR FRA / ET HIB / REX, pellet stops, ornamental sceptres.
Edge inscription is DECVS ET TVTAMEN (An Ornament and a Safeguard) then ANNO REGNI DECIMO TERTIO (13th regnal year).

[Deeman]

Two guineas

The two-guinea coin was 0.916 fine (22ct), 31-32mm diameter, current for £2. Struck 1701.

The obverse depicts a laureate bust of the king right with a circumscription, divided by the head, of 'William III, by the Grace of God'. The reverse depicts the crowned cruciform arrangement of the Arms of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, emblem-adorned sceptres (orb, thistle, lis, harp) in angles to right of their respective shields, central Lion of Orange-Nassau surrounded by small billets and encased in a frame of four wavy cords, date flanking crown above English shield, with a circumscription, divided by crowns and continuing the king's titles, translating to 'Great Britain, France and Ireland, King'.



1701 dated gold two guineas.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS / III DEI GRA, pellet stops.
Reverse inscription is MAG / BR FRA / ET HIB / REX, pellet stops, ornamental sceptres.

[Deeman]

Guinea

The guinea coin was 0.916 fine (22ct), 25mm diameter, current for 20/-. Struck 1695-97 first bust, 1697-1701 second bust and 1701 third bust.

The obverse depicts a laureate bust of the king right with a circumscription, divided by the head, of 'William III, by the Grace of God'. The reverse depicts the crowned cruciform arrangement of the Arms of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, emblem-adorned sceptres (orb, thistle, lis, harp) in angles to right of their respective shields, central Lion of Orange-Nassau surrounded by small billets and encased in a frame of four wavy cords, date flanking crown above English shield, with a circumscription, divided by crowns and continuing the king's titles, translating to 'Great Britain, France and Ireland, King'.




1695 dated gold guinea, first bust.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS / III DEI GRA, pellet stops.
Reverse inscription is MAG / BR FRA / ET HIB / REX, pellet stops, plain sceptres, large lis.




1695 dated gold guinea, first bust.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS / III DEI GRA, pellet stops.
Reverse inscription is MAG / BR FRA / ET HIB / REX, pellet stops, plain sceptres, small lis.




1695 dated gold guinea, first bust.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS / III DEI GRA, pellet stops, elephant and castle below bust.
Reverse inscription is MAG / BR FRA / ET HIB / REX, pellet stops, plain sceptres.




1698 dated gold guinea, second bust.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS / III DEI GRA, pellet stops, elephant and castle below bust.
Reverse inscription is MAG / BR FRA / ET HIB / REX, pellet stops, plain sceptres.

There is also an extremely rare second bust 1701 guinea with an elephant and castle below the bust.




1698 dated gold guinea, second bust.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS / III DEI GRA, pellet stops.
Reverse inscription is MAG / BR FRA / ET HIB / REX, pellet stops, plain sceptres.




1700 dated gold guinea, second bust.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS / III DEI GRA, pellet stops.
Reverse inscription is MAG / BR FRA / ET HIB / REX, pellet stops, small lions, plain sceptres.




1701 dated gold guinea, second bust.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS / III DEI GRA, pellet stops.
Reverse inscription is MAG / BR FRA / ET HIB / REX, pellet stops, narrow crowns, plain sceptres.




1701 dated gold guinea, second bust.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS / III DEI GRA, pellet stops.
Reverse inscription is MAG / BR FRA / ET HIB / REX, pellet stops, narrow crowns, ornamental sceptres.




1701 dated gold guinea, third bust.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS / III DEI GRA, pellet stops.
Reverse inscription is MAG / BR FRA / ET HIB / REX, pellet stops, narrow crowns, ornamental sceptres.

[Deeman]

Half-guinea

The half-guinea coin was 0.916 fine (22ct), 20mm diameter, current for 10/-. Struck 1695-1701.

The obverse depicts a laureate bust of the king right with a circumscription, divided by the head, of 'William III, by the Grace of God'. The reverse depicts the crowned cruciform arrangement of the Arms of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, emblem-adorned sceptres (orb, thistle, lis, harp) in angles to right of their respective shields, central Lion of Orange-Nassau surrounded by small billets and encased in a frame of four wavy cords, date flanking crown above English shield, with a circumscription, divided by crowns and continuing the king's titles, translating to 'Great Britain, France and Ireland, King'.




1695 dated gold half-guinea.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS / III DEI GRA, pellet stops.
Reverse inscription is MAG / BR FRA / ET HIB / REX, pellet stops, plain sceptres, early harp.




1696 dated gold half-guinea.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS / III DEI GRA, pellet stops, elephant and castle below bust.
Reverse inscription is MAG / BR FRA / ET HIB / REX, pellet stops, plain sceptres, early harp.

There is also a 1698 half-guinea with an elephant and castle below the bust and later harp in the Irish shield.




1698 dated gold half-guinea.
Obverse inscription is GVLIELMVS / III DEI GRA, pellet stops.
Reverse inscription is MAG / BR FRA / ET HIB / REX, pellet stops, plain sceptres, later harp.