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George IV (1820 - 1830)
Born: 12 Aug 1762
Accession: 29 Jan 1820
Married: Caroline of Brunswick
Coronation: 19 Jul 1821
Children: 1
Died: 26 Jun 1830 (67)
Accession: 29 Jan 1820
Married: Caroline of Brunswick
Coronation: 19 Jul 1821
Children: 1
Died: 26 Jun 1830 (67)
Chief coin of the world
Dating back to 1489 and since its revival in 1817, the Sovereign has played its part as a circulating coin, a bullion coin and, most recently, a commemorative coin.
Accessories
We buy and sell books, cases, holders, scales and anything sovereign related.
The reign of King George IV marks the highly significant introduction of the classic design of St George slaying the dragon with a sword by Benedetto Pistrucci we are all familiar with today. Pistrucci’s depiction of the first bust of George IV is very Roman in its style with the King wearing a 13 leaf laurel wreath. Pistrucci’s initials are for a gold coin, significantly prominent on each side of the coin, whereas with his previous George III issue they were incuse and quite well hidden under the broken lance. The initials of the Master of the Mint, William Wellesley Pole, who was instrumental in commissioning Pistrucci to the Mint in the first place, has his initials placed under the broken lance. The wwp appears quite squiggle-like and indistinct, and amazingly lasts in this position into the reign of George V over a hundred years later. These initials were on the Garter buckle on the reverse in the previous issue of George III.
Other features of the first standard design for the currency Sovereigns of King George IV from 1821-1825 are an unusual style of lettering in the legend, each letter has an incuse central compartment upon its limbs ruled with raised horizontal lines. A new type of outer border is employed with fine raised teeth between an inner and outer concentric linear circle, giving quite a square indent between each tooth. The currency coins are struck with an inverted die axis as usual for this period, the figure of St George now brandishes a sword to slay the dragon, his helmet has a crested plume only, and the horse’s tail terminates in three strands. The broken lance with the initials beneath lies on the ground-line to the left, the date and b.p. initials are in the exergue below and the edge is straight grained milled.
The second standard design for the currency Sovereigns of King George IV from 1825-1830 inclusive had an obverse designed by William Wyon based upon the sculpted model bust by Francis Legatt Chantrey (1781-1841).
The former abbreviated legend used on the first type obverse, now appears across both sides of the second type coins and in a fuller form. The lettering no longer has any decorative compartments. The reverse of the Sovereigns of this type, also engraved by Merlen, have a crowned quartered shield of arms, with an escutcheon of the Hanoverian Arms. The straight grained milled edge continues.
Other features of the first standard design for the currency Sovereigns of King George IV from 1821-1825 are an unusual style of lettering in the legend, each letter has an incuse central compartment upon its limbs ruled with raised horizontal lines. A new type of outer border is employed with fine raised teeth between an inner and outer concentric linear circle, giving quite a square indent between each tooth. The currency coins are struck with an inverted die axis as usual for this period, the figure of St George now brandishes a sword to slay the dragon, his helmet has a crested plume only, and the horse’s tail terminates in three strands. The broken lance with the initials beneath lies on the ground-line to the left, the date and b.p. initials are in the exergue below and the edge is straight grained milled.
The second standard design for the currency Sovereigns of King George IV from 1825-1830 inclusive had an obverse designed by William Wyon based upon the sculpted model bust by Francis Legatt Chantrey (1781-1841).
The former abbreviated legend used on the first type obverse, now appears across both sides of the second type coins and in a fuller form. The lettering no longer has any decorative compartments. The reverse of the Sovereigns of this type, also engraved by Merlen, have a crowned quartered shield of arms, with an escutcheon of the Hanoverian Arms. The straight grained milled edge continues.
George IV Laureate Head Sovereigns
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1825 Sovereigns |
Sizes: ½ | 1 |
One mintage: 4,200,343* |
Size varieties: 1 | 2 |
More info coming soon... |
George IV Bare Head Sovereigns
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