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1 Shilling - George II Older bust (1743–1758)
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Year | 1743–1758 |
| Denomination | 1 Shilling |
| Face value | 5p |
| Mint | Royal Mint · Llantrisant |
| Circulation | Circulating |
| Demonetised | 1817 |
| Composition | Silver (.925) (925/1000 fine) |
| Weight | 6.020g · 0.1790 t oz |
| Diameter | 25.0mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Milled |
| Orientation | Coin alignment ↑↓ |
| Obv. artist | John Sigismund Tanner |
| Rev. artist | John Sigismund Tanner |
| Grade scale | UK (EF/UNC) |
Older laureate and draped bust of King George II left, legend around.
GEORGIVS II DEI GRATIA
Crowned cruciform shields with central Garter star, divided date above, legend around.
M B F ET H REX F D B ET L D S R I A T ET E
1 Shilling - George II Older bust market value
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Daily limit reached1 Shilling - George II Older bust value by grade
Realised auction prices · ⭐ Pro Expand rows for individual sale records| Grade | Latest | Median | 30d Δ | All-time range | Sales (1yr) | Total sales | Last sale | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BU | £160.00 🔒 | £160.00 | – | £55.04 – £240.00 | 3 | 3 | 10-09-2026 | |
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About the 1743 1 Shilling - George II Older bust
The 1743 1 Shilling - George II Older bust is a circulating 1 shilling coin issued from 1743 to 1758, struck in 92.5% silver. It weighs 6.02g and measures 25mm across. Reverse design: Crowned cruciform shields with central Garter star, divided date above, legend around.
It is no longer legal tender (withdrawn 1817), so its value is to collectors only.
Common questions
How much is the 1743 1 Shilling - George II Older bust worth?
The 1743 1 Shilling - George II Older bust has a price in one grade on MyCoinage so far: £160 in BU, the median of its verified sales. Its silver content is worth about £7.15 at today's spot price, which puts a floor under its value.
What is a LIMA shilling?
A George II shilling of 1745 or 1746 with LIMA below the bust. Tony Clayton and the Nottingham Museums register say the mark shows the silver came from treasure taken from the Spanish by Admiral Anson's expedition. Ordinary 1745 shillings with roses were struck too.
How many George II older bust shillings were made?
No mintage by date has been published. The Royal Mint Museum says the 1758 coins were the last silver issued in any quantity for general circulation for nearly 30 years. Wikipedia adds that the next issue, in 1787, was not meant for the public.
Why does a 1747 shilling have roses?
Roses mark silver from West of England mines. The Royal Mint Museum says domestic silver supplies dried up after 1745 apart from one small mintage of West of England silver in 1747, which explains the roses on that year's shillings.
Is there a 1746 shilling without LIMA?
Only as a proof. Tony Clayton lists a 1746 proof, and the Royal Mint Museum holds one. The Museum suggests the 1746 proof crown, half crown, shilling and sixpence, which exist in similar numbers, may form the Mint's earliest proof set.
How do I identify the 1743 1 Shilling - George II Older bust?
Check the weight 6.02g and diameter 25mm and the metal (92.5% silver) against the specification table on this page. The reverse design is described above.
History and design
The older bust appeared on the shilling in 1743. Tony Clayton lists the type for 1743, 1745, 1746, 1747, 1750, 1751 and 1758, with a proof in 1746. No mintage has been published for any date.
Each date reflects where the Mint could find silver. The Royal Mint Museum explains that silver was flowing out of Europe because it bought more gold in Asia, and that after 1745 domestic supplies dried up apart from one small West of England mintage in 1747. The 1750 to 1751 and 1757 to 1758 issues used silver from overseas, and the 1758 coins were the last silver struck in any quantity for general circulation for nearly 30 years. Wikipedia adds that the next shillings, in 1787, were not intended for issue to the public.
In 1745 and 1746 shillings were struck with LIMA below the bust. Clayton calls the LIMA shilling an interesting coin of the reign, and he and the Nottingham Museums register connect the mark with silver taken from the Spanish by Admiral Anson.
The obverse shows the king's older laureate bust facing left, draped and in armour, with GEORGIVS II DEI GRATIA. The Royal Mint Museum credits the older head to John Sigismund Tanner, who had made the reverse dies since 1729 and became Chief Engraver on John Croker's death in 1741.
The reverse continues the cross of four crowned shields, England impaling Scotland, France, Ireland and the Electorate, around the Garter star, with M B F ET H REX F D B ET L D S R I A T ET E and the date. Coins of 1743, 1745 and 1747 have roses in the angles for West of England silver; the LIMA coins and later dates have none. The edge is grained.
Varieties and errors
Besides the LIMA coins, Clayton and Coin Hunter list overdates 1745/3, 1746/5 and a 1750 struck over an earlier date, given as 1750/6 by Clayton and 50 over 46 by Coin Hunter. The 1746 coin without LIMA is a proof. The Royal Mint Museum's own 1758 shilling is catalogued with partial doubling.
Collecting notes
Check below the bust for LIMA, then the angles and the date. Wear shows first on the hair and the shield crowns, so look for a clear date and some hair detail. See the young bust shilling for coins before 1743.
Sources
The history, design, varieties and collecting notes on this page are drawn from these sources. Prices come from recorded sales, not from them.
- George II, Royal Mint Museum (read 12 Oct 2026)
- One Shilling, Tony Clayton, Coins of the UK (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Shilling (British coin), Wikipedia (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Values of Shillings, Tony Clayton, Coins of the UK (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Coin values by year, George II (year pages 1743 to 1758, read one by one), Coin Hunter (read 12 Oct 2026)
- George II shilling, 1743, The Royal Mint Museum, via Museum Data Service (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Shilling coin of George II (1743), Science Museum Group, via Museum Data Service (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Shilling, silver, of George II (1745, LIMA), Nottingham Museums, via Museum Data Service (read 12 Oct 2026)
- George II shilling, 1758, The Royal Mint Museum, via Museum Data Service (read 12 Oct 2026)
- George II proof shilling, 1746, The Royal Mint Museum, via Museum Data Service (read 12 Oct 2026)
- John Sigismund Tanner, Wikipedia (read 12 Oct 2026)
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