Summary

Gold coin; Denomination: half-guinea
Royal Mint, London
George I (1714-1727); third bust type

The title Fidei Defensor abbreviated to F.D. (Defender of the Faith) occurs for the first time on the British coinage under George I. The abbreviated titles on the reverse expand to: Brunsvicensis et Lunenburgensis Dux, Sacri Romani Imperii Archi-Thesaurarius et Elector. These titles remain on the British coinage untilthe new coinage of 1816 under George III.

The current value of the guinea was set at 21 shillings in 1717 and remained there until the last issue of that denomination.

Obverse Description

Laureate head of George I facing right; around, GEORGIVS D G M BR FR ET HIB REX F D (translation: George I by the Grace of God King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith)

Reverse Description

Four crowned shields, England and Scotland impaled, France, Ireland and the Dutchy of Brunswick and Luneburg, arranged in the form of a cross, in the centre, the Star of the Garter; in the angles four sceptres tipped with a crowned orb, a thistle, a lis and a harp; around, BRVN ET L DVX S R I A TH ET EL 1725 (translation: Duke of Brunswick and Luneberg Archi-Thesaurius and Elector of the Holy Roman Empire)

Edge Description

diagonal milling, ///

More Information