Half crown
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The half-crown was a denomination of British money worth two shillings and sixpence, being one-eighth of a pound. The half-crown was first issued in 1549, in the reign of Edward VI. No half-crowns were issued in the reign of Mary, but from the reign of Elizabeth I half-crowns were issued in every reign except Edward VIII, until the coins were discontinued in 1967. The half-crown was demonetised (ahead of other pre-decimal coins) on 1 January 1970, the year before the United Kingdom adopted decimal currency.
During the English Interregnum of 1649-1660, a republican half-crown was issued, bearing the arms of the Commonwealth of England, despite monarchist associations of the coin's name. When Oliver Cromwell made himself Lord Protector of England, half-crowns were issued bearing his semi-royal portrait.
The half-crown did not display its value on the reverse until 1893.
In the 1800s, the silver half-crown coin was (very roughly) convertible into an American fifty-cent piece, and was sometimes nicknamed the "half-dollar" in North America.
Contents |
[edit] History of the Half-crown by Reign
- Henry VIII of England 1526: The first British Half Crown was struck in gold.
- Edward VI of England 1551: Issued the first Half Crown in silver. The coin was dated and showed the king riding a horse.
- 1554 – Mary of England married Philip II of Spain and the Half Crown was struck but was never issued for circulation. Three specimens exist.
- Elizabeth I of England gold Half Crowns were issued again. At the end of the reign silver half crowns were issued.
- James I of England gold Half Crowns were issued again. During the reign silver half crowns were issued.
- Charles I of England Silver Half Crowns were issued, including those struck as OBSIDINAL money, money of necessity during the Civil War period.
- Commonwealth of England Oliver Cromwell silver Half Crowns were issued. During years 1656 and 1658 Milled Half Crowns were issued of Oliver Cromwell
- Charles II of England 1663-1685 silver Half Crowns were issued, and this period saw the end of the hammered issue of half crowns.
- James II of England 1685-1688 silver Half Crown
- William & Mary of England 1689-1694 silver Half Crown
- William III of England 1694-1702 silver Half Crown
- Anne of Great Britain 1702-1714 silver Half Crown
- George I of Great Britain 1714-1727 silver Half Crown
- George II of Great Britain 1727-1760 silver Half Crown
- George III of Great Britain 1760-1820 silver Half Crown
- George IV of Great Britain 1820-1830 silver Half Crown
- William IV of the United Kingdom 1830-1837 silver Half Crown
- Victoria of the United Kingdom 1837-1901 silver Half Crown
- Edward VII of the United Kingdom 1902-1910 silver Half Crown
- George V of the United Kingdom 1910-1936 silver Half Crown Sterling silver (92½% silver) until 1919, then 50% silver
- Edward VIII of the United Kingdom 1936 50% silver Half Crown Not issued for circulation.
- George VI of the United Kingdom 1937-1952 50% silver Half Crowns were issued until 1946 when the metal was changed to cupro-nickel
- Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom 1952 - The last Half Crown was issued in 1970 at the time of decimalisation
[edit] Mintages
| Victoria | (Jubilee) | |||
| 1887 |
1,438,046
1,084 |
1890 |
3,228,111
|
|
| 1888 |
1,428,787
|
1891 |
2,284,632
|
|
| 1889 |
4,811,954
|
1892 |
1,710,946
|
|
| Victoria | (Old Head) | |||
| 1893 |
1,792,600
1,312 |
1898 |
1,870,055
|
|
| 1894 |
1,524,960
|
1899 |
2,865,872
|
|
| 1895 |
1,772,662
|
1900 |
4,479,128
|
|
| 1896 |
2,148,505
|
1901 |
1,516,570
|
|
| 1897 |
1,678,643
|
|||
| Edward VII | ||||
| 1902 |
1,316,008
15,123 |
1907 |
3,693,930
|
|
| 1903 |
274,840
|
1908 |
1,758,889
|
|
| 1904 |
709,652
|
1909 |
3,051,592
|
|
| 1905 |
166,008
|
1910 |
2,557,685
|
|
| 1906 |
2,886,206
|
|||
| George V | ||||
| 1911 |
2,914,573
6,007 |
1924 |
5,866,294
|
|
| 1912 |
4,700,789
|
1925 |
1,413,461
|
|
| 1913 |
4.090.169
|
1926 |
4,473,516
|
|
| 1914 |
18,333,003
|
1927 |
6,837,872
15,000 |
|
| 1915 |
32,433,066
|
1928 |
18,762,727
|
|
| 1916 |
29,530,020
|
1929 |
17,632,636
|
|
| 1917 |
11,172,052
|
1930 |
809,051
|
|
| 1918 |
29,079,592
|
1931 |
11,264,468
|
|
| 1919 |
10,266,737
|
1932 |
4,793,643
|
|
| 1920 |
17,982,077
|
1933 |
10,311,494
|
|
| 1921 |
23,677,889
|
1934 |
2,422,399
|
|
| 1922 |
16,396,724
|
1935 |
7,022,216
|
|
| 1923 |
26,308,526
|
1936 |
7,039,423
|
|
| George VI | ||||
| 1937 |
9,106,440
26,402 |
1945 |
19,849,242
|
|
| 1938 |
6,426,478
|
1946 |
22,724,873
|
|
| 1939 |
15,478,635
|
1947 |
21,911,484
|
|
| 1940 |
17,948,439
|
1948 |
71,164,703
|
|
| 1941 |
15,773,984
|
1949 |
28,272,512
|
|
| 1942 |
31,220,090
|
1950 |
28,335,500
TBA |
|
| 1943 |
15,462,875
|
1951 |
9,003,520
TBA |
|
| 1944 |
15,255,165
|
1952 |
n/m
|
|
| Elizabeth II | ||||
| 1953 |
4,333,214
40,000 |
1961 |
25,887,897
|
|
| 1954 |
11,614,953
|
1962 |
24,013,312
|
|
| 1955 |
23,628,726
|
1963 |
17,625,200
|
|
| 1956 |
33,934,909
|
1964 |
5,973,600
|
|
| 1957 |
34,200,563
|
1965 |
9,778,440
|
|
| 1958 |
15,745,668
|
1966 |
13,375,200
|
|
| 1959 |
9,028,844
|
1967 |
33,058,400
|
|
| 1960 |
19,929,191
|
1970 |
750,000
|
[edit] Gallery
 The obverse of the 1953, Elizabeth II, half crown. |
 The reverse of the 1953, Elizabeth II, half crown. |
[edit] See also
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[edit] External links
- British Coins - Free information about British coins. Includes an online forum.
