1 Crown - George III 1817

Weight

48.69 g

Diameter

NA

Thickness

NA

Material

Gold (.9167)

Shape

Round

Edge Type

NA

Technique

Milled

Front design

Right facing laureate bust of King George III, legend around, date below.

Back design

Crowned royal shield of arms, legend around.

Year of Minting

1817

King

George III (1760-1820)

Mint location

NA

Mint mark

NA

Orientation

Coin alignment ↑↓

Inscriptions

Obverse: GEORGIUS III D:G: BRITANNIARUM REX W. WYON 1817 Reverse: INCORRUPTA FIDES VERITASQUE

Context

In 1817, the English government issued a new silver crown and a new gold coin: the sovereign. Struck in the new London Monetary Workshop presses, these coins are of the type of Saint George slaying the dragon. The original dies are the work of an outstanding Italian gem engraver, Benedetto Pistrucci. When the project was launched in 1816, another engraver, English, William Wyon, suggested his model. 18 in silver and 7 in gold were produced by the Royal Mint. The coin by Pistrucci was finally chosen. He then became chief engraver while Wyon had to wait another ten years to be chief engraver, in 1828. The customary name of the crown proposed by William Wyon, Incorrupta Crown, is variously interpreted by British numismatists. It would derive from the Latin text of the reverse INCORRUPTA FIDES VERITAS QUE, which can be translated as 'A Faith Without blemish ' or 'A Faith Beyond Corruption'. Alas, this beautiful proclamation of intention is not enough to convince the influential Joseph Banks, renowned botanist, and friend of the director of the Royal Mint at the time, who knew how to place his Roman protege in place of the young and promising William Wyon.

Rarity

Ultra rare

Coin type

Patterns

In circulation

No

Demonetized

Yes

Marketplace listings

0