March 2008
Gallery Feature
Great Britain
1787 Six Pence
General Information:
Diameter: 21 mm.
Weight: 3.0 g.
Composition: 0.9250 Silver (0.0895 oz ASW)
Obverse Design: Armored bust of King George III facing right.
Reverse Design: Crowns between shields in cruciform arrangement. Date below.
Obverse Legend: Georgius III Dei Gratia (George III By the Grace of God)
Reverse Legend: M.B.F ET. H. REX. F.D.B. ET. L.D.S.R.I.A.T ET. E. (King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, Duke of Brunswick and Luneburg, Archtreasurer and Elector of S.R.I. [Great Britain])
Edge: Grained Right
Alignment: Metal
Variety: No Hearts in Hanoverian Shield
1787 six pence were produced in two varieties, differentiated by the details within the Hanoverian shield (reverse) - one type features hearts where the other does not. Both varieties are relatively common, and neither demands significant premium over the other.
The production of the 1787 six pence issue was commission by the Bank of England, and produced at a loss due to the cost of silver which exceeded the face value of the coin itself. Because of this, these coins did not see as much commercial activity so they are still readily found in better grades today.