Coin

½ Crown - George V 2nd type (1920) — United Kingdom

United Kingdom • 1920 • KM# 818.1a, 818.2, Sp# 4021

½ Crown - George V 2nd type (1920) — United Kingdom

Overview

United Kingdom ½ Crown coin from the 2nd type series of King George V, minted in 1920. This coin is made of .500 silver.

Specifications

Country
United Kingdom
Year
1920
Composition
Silver (.500)
Weight
14.14 g
Diameter
32.3 mm
Thickness
2.15 mm
Mint
Royal Mint (Tower Hill), London, United Kingdom (1810-1975)
Shape
Round
Technique
Milled
References
KM# 818.1a, 818.2, Sp# 4021
Issuer
United Kingdom

Design details

Obverse

Uncrowned portrait of King George V facing left, with the legend "GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX" which translates to "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 · 19 20 · 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 17,983,000 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 (.500) — 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# 818.1a, 818.2, Sp# 4021. Use this reference code when cross-checking auction archives, dealer inventories, and standard printed catalogues.

Curator Insights

Historical context

The year 1920 marked a significant transition in British numismatic history as the silver content of coinage was reduced from .925 sterling to .500 quaternary silver. This debasement was prompted by the soaring price of silver following World War I, which made the intrinsic value of the older sterling coins exceed their face value. These issues remained in circulation until the decimalization process in the late 1960s rendered the half crown obsolete.

Design heritage

The obverse features the uncrowned portrait of King George V by Australian sculptor Edgar Bertram MacKennal, whose work also appeared on contemporary postage stamps. The reverse displays a crowned quartered shield within a Garter band, a design originally conceptualized by George William de Saulles. The reverse inscription includes the Order of the Garter motto, 'Honi soit qui mal y pense', surrounding the royal coat of arms.

Varieties and technical notes

Collectors often distinguish between the 1920 'Type 1' and 'Type 2' half crowns, which involve subtle modifications to the shield's placement on the reverse. The edge is consistently reeded, and the strike was produced using the standard milled technique at the Royal Mint in London. Variations in the surface texture or tint may occur due to the shift in alloy composition during the initial 1920 production run.

Survival and modern availability

While there was a high mintage of nearly 18 million pieces, many specimens were later withdrawn and melted during the transition to the decimal pound or during the recovery of silver content. High-grade examples are relatively accessible but often exhibit the characteristic toning associated with 50% silver alloys. Survival rates in circulated grades remain strong due to the coin's long-standing utility in daily commerce.

More from United Kingdom

Other ½ Crown - George V 2nd type issues

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