Very Rare: fewer than 100,000 minted.
1 Penny - William IV Maundy issues (1831–1837)
"Maundy penny"
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Year | 1831–1837 |
| Denomination | 1 Penny |
| Mintage | 10,000 |
| Mint | Royal Mint · Llantrisant |
| Series | Maundy Money |
| Circulation | Non-circulating |
| Composition | Silver (.925) (925/1000 fine) |
| Weight | 0.470g · 0.0140 t oz |
| Diameter | 11.0mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
| Obv. artist | William Wyon |
| Rev. artist | Jean Baptiste Merlen |
| Grade scale | UK (EF/UNC) |
Uncrowned portrait of King William IV facing right, legend around.
Crowned denomination dividing date within oak wreath.
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Daily limit reachedAbout the 1831 1 Penny - William IV Maundy issues
The 1831 1 Penny - William IV Maundy issues is a collector 1 penny coin issued from 1831 to 1837 in the Maundy Money series, struck in 92.5% silver. It weighs 0.47g and measures 11mm across. Reverse design: Crowned denomination dividing date within oak wreath.
A mintage of 10,000 is recorded for one date of this type; figures for each year are not held.
Common questions
How much is the 1831 1 Penny - William IV Maundy issues worth?
No verified sale of the 1831 1 Penny - William IV Maundy issues has been logged on MyCoinage yet.
Was the William IV silver penny ever used in change?
No. By William IV's reign the penny in everyday use was the large copper coin. Tony Clayton notes that after 1820 the small silver coins were struck solely for the Maundy ceremony, which is why they rarely turn up worn below VF.
How many William IV Maundy pennies were made?
CoinVarieties, citing standard catalogues, gives 8,712 for 1834. Figures for the other dates were not confirmed from a second reference, but the Maundy issue each year was a few thousand pieces, far fewer than any circulating coin.
Is a William IV Maundy penny still legal tender?
Maundy coins were never demonetised. Wikipedia explains that at decimalisation in 1971 all Maundy pieces, old and new, were deemed to be denominated in new pence, and Clayton says the series was revalued as 1, 2, 3 and 4 new pence.
What changed in the Royal Maundy under William IV?
Wikipedia records that after the 1837 Maundy, William IV ordered the gift of food, which recipients were often selling cheaply, to be replaced by a money payment of 30 shillings. That payment, in its decimal form, is still given today.
How do I identify the 1831 1 Penny - William IV Maundy issues?
Check the weight 0.47g and diameter 11mm and the metal (92.5% silver) against the specification table on this page. The reverse design is described above.
History and design
The Royal Maundy is the Maundy Thursday service at which the sovereign gives alms to as many elderly men and women as there are years in the monarch's age. The Royal Mint Museum explains that silver pennies alone were used for the gift in Tudor and Stuart times and that specially struck Maundy money began under Charles II. By William IV's reign the penny in everyday use was the large copper coin, and Tony Clayton notes that after 1820 the small silver pieces were struck solely for the Maundy ceremony.
Clayton lists Maundy pennies for every year of the reign, 1831 to 1837. CoinVarieties gives 8,712 for 1834. William IV also changed the ceremony itself: Wikipedia records that after the 1837 Maundy he ordered the gift of food, which recipients often sold for a fraction of its value, to be replaced by a money payment of 30 shillings, a sum still paid today in decimal form.
The reverse is the crowned numeral 1 within an oak wreath, dividing the date. Wikipedia credits this design, introduced in 1822, to Jean Baptiste Merlen, and notes that it is still struck each year with only an altered crown. The obverse carries the King's bare head facing right; the Royal Mint Museum credits William Wyon with engraving William IV's coinage portraits from a bust by the sculptor Francis Chantrey.
Varieties and errors
Clayton's values list proof Maundy sets dated 1831, the coronation year, both in silver and in gold. No other varieties or mint errors are documented for the penny of this reign.
Collecting notes
Clayton observes that Maundy coins after 1820 seldom turn up in worse than VF condition because they were kept rather than spent, so look for surface marks, cleaning and toning rather than wear. His lists cover both single pennies and complete four-coin sets of 1d, 2d, 3d and 4d.
At decimalisation all Maundy pieces were deemed to be denominated in new pence, so this penny was never demonetised. The matching coins of the set include the William IV Maundy twopence.
Sources
The history, design, varieties and collecting notes on this page are drawn from these sources. Prices come from recorded sales, not from them.
- Royal Maundy, Wikipedia (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Maundy Money, Tony Clayton, Coins of the UK (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Great Britain 1834 penny KM-708, CoinVarieties (read 12 Oct 2026)
- William Wyon, Royal Mint Museum (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Values of Maundy Sets, Tony Clayton, Coins of the UK (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Maundy Money, Royal Mint Museum (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Values of Silver Maundy Pennies, Tony Clayton, Coins of the UK (read 12 Oct 2026)
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