2 Pence - George III Pattern (1797)
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Year | 1797 |
| Denomination | 2 Pence |
| Mint | Royal Mint · Llantrisant |
| Circulation | Non-circulating |
| Demonetised | Yes |
| Composition | Gold plated copper |
| Shape | Round |
| Obv. artist | Conrad Heinrich Küchler |
| Rev. artist | Conrad Heinrich Küchler |
| Grade scale | UK (EF/UNC) |
NOTE: similar to KM#619
Britannia sitting surrounded by the inscription "BRITANNIA" and the year.This is an automatic translation. The original text is:Britannia assise entourée par l'inscription "BRITANNIA" et le millésime.
2 Pence - George III Pattern market value
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Daily limit reached2 Pence - George III Pattern 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VF | £77.40 🔒 | £49.02 | – | £26.66 – £77.40 | 0 | 3 | 02-10-2024 | |
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About the 1797 2 Pence - George III Pattern
The 1797 2 Pence - George III Pattern is a collector 2 pence coin, struck in gold plated copper. Reverse design: Britannia sitting surrounded by the inscription "BRITANNIA" and the year.This is an automatic translation. The original text is:Britannia assise entourée par l'inscription "BRITANNIA" et le millésime.
It is no longer legal tender, so its value is to collectors only.
Common questions
How much is the 1797 2 Pence - George III Pattern worth?
The 1797 2 Pence - George III Pattern has a price in one grade on MyCoinage so far: £49.02 in VF, the median of its verified sales.
Why were gilt 1797 twopences made?
The Science Museum Group describes its gilt cartwheel twopence, made at Soho in 1797, as one of the gilt versions Matthew Boulton intended as marketing tools. They were given to people of influence alongside the copper coins issued for circulation.
Is the gilt twopence a pattern?
Not in the sense of a trial design. It uses the same dies and date as the circulating cartwheel twopence by Conrad Heinrich Küchler, struck with a gilt finish. The entry carries the Krause pattern number PnE64, which is why it is named as a pattern.
Are all gilt cartwheel twopences from 1797?
All are dated 1797, but not all were struck that year. Tony Clayton records late strikes made by Boulton in a variety of metals and restrikes by W. J. Taylor after he bought the dies in 1848, so the striking period of any example needs checking.
History and design
In 1797 Matthew Boulton's Soho Mint in Birmingham struck the large copper 'cartwheel' penny and twopence under a government contract, the twopence weighing two ounces. Boulton also had some struck with a gilt finish. The Science Museum Group, describing a gilt twopence made at Soho in 1797, says the gilt versions of the standard copper coin were intended by Boulton as marketing tools and were circulated to people of influence alongside the circulation coins.
So although it is catalogued as a pattern, this is not a trial for a different design. It is the issued design in a presentation finish, and it was not issued as currency.
The dies are those of the circulating twopence, engraved by Boulton's German engraver Conrad Heinrich Küchler. The obverse has the laureate, draped bust of George III facing right with GEORGIUS III.D:G.REX sunk into the broad raised rim, and Küchler's initial K on the lowest fold of the drapery. The reverse shows Britannia seated on a rock facing left with olive branch and trident, a ship to the left, the Union shield, and SOHO below it, with BRITANNIA and 1797 on the rim.
Collecting notes
Tony Clayton records many late strikes made by Boulton in a variety of metals, and further strikes by W. J. Taylor, who bought the dies in 1848; he suggests that die corrosion marks are the main way to tell the later pieces. A gilt example should therefore be attributed to its Peck class rather than assumed to be from 1797. Check the gilding for rubbing, especially on the high points of the bust and the raised rim. The circulating coin is the cartwheel 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.
- Coin, 2d 'cartwheel', gilt, Soho mint, 1797 (L2011-4008), Science Museum Group (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Penny, Royal Mint Museum (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Twopence (British pre-decimal coin), Wikipedia (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Two Pence, Tony Clayton, Coins of the UK (read 12 Oct 2026)
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