Coin

½ Crown - George V 1st type (1917) — United Kingdom

United Kingdom • 1917 • KM# 818.1, Sp# 4011

½ Crown - George V 1st type (1917) — United Kingdom

Overview

George V 1st type half crown coin from the United Kingdom, minted in 1917.

Specifications

Country
United Kingdom
Year
1917
Composition
Silver (.925)
Weight
14.14 g
Diameter
32.3 mm
Mint
Royal Mint (Tower Hill), London, United Kingdom (1810-1975)
Shape
Round
Technique
Milled
References
KM# 818.1, Sp# 4011
Issuer
United Kingdom

Design details

Obverse

Uncrowned portrait of King George V left, legend around. Lettering: GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX. Translation: George the Fifth by the Grace of God King of all the Britains.

Reverse

Crowned quartered shield of arms within Garter band, legend around, divided date below. Lettering: · FID: DEF: IND: IMP: · HALF · CROWN HONI SOIT· QVI MAL· Y PENSE·. Translation: Defender of the Faith Emperor of India Shame on he who thinks evil of it.

Collector insights

  • Design heritage: Edgar Bertram MacKennal (obverse), George William de Saulles (reverse) is credited as the designer for the Standard circulation coins series. Designer attribution helps distinguish this issue from later restrikes or unofficial copies that reuse only the motif.
  • Struck at: Royal Mint (Tower Hill), London, United Kingdom (1810-1975). Confirm the mintmark on your example before comparing prices — same-year issues from different mints often trade at very different levels.
  • Mintage vs. survival: Reported mintage of 11,172,000 is high, but circulation attrition, currency-reform meltdowns, and low collector-preservation rates mean uncirculated (MS-63+) examples are meaningfully scarcer than the raw figure suggests. Check third-party population reports (PCGS/NGC) for realistic survival in top grades.
  • Precious metal content: Silver (.925) — bullion value provides a price floor, and many circulated examples were melted during the 1979–1980 and post-2010 silver spikes, reducing the surviving population.
  • Catalogue reference: Listed as KM# 818.1, Sp# 4011. Use this reference code when cross-checking auction archives, dealer inventories, and standard printed catalogues.

Curator Insights

Historical context

Issued during the penultimate year of the First World War, this 1917 half crown was struck at the Royal Mint's Tower Hill location. The coin represents the traditional sterling silver standard that had defined British high-value coinage for centuries before the post-war debasement of 1920. Despite the economic strain of the conflict, the United Kingdom maintained high production levels of this denomination to meet the demand for silver in military and civilian circles.

Design heritage

The obverse features the uncrowned portrait of George V by Edgar Bertram MacKennal, whose work defined the aesthetic of early 20th-century British and Imperial coinage. The reverse displays a crowned quartered shield of arms within the Garter band, an intricate design originally conceived by George William de Saulles. The traditional Latin inscriptions reflect the monarch's titles as King of Britain and Emperor of India.

Varieties and technical notes

This issue features a reeded edge and was produced using high-pressure steam or electric presses as is typical for the milled technique of the era. Collectors should look for the 'B.M.' initials on the truncation of the King's neck, denoting the designer MacKennal. Specimens from this year may show evidence of die fatigue on the finer details of the shield, given the high mintage volume required during the war.

Survival and modern availability

While the mintage exceeded 11 million pieces, survival in higher grades is limited by the fact that these coins saw significant circulation during and after the war. Large quantities of the 1917 half crown were likely withdrawn and melted following the Coinage Act of 1920, which reduced silver content to .500, or during the general recall leading up to decimalization. As a result, examples with full luster and crisp shield details are considerably scarcer than worn specimens.

More from United Kingdom

Other ½ Crown - George V 1st type issues

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