3 Pence - George III Thin numerals incl. Maundy (1792)
"Wire money"
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Year | 1792 |
| Denomination | 3 Pence |
| Mint | Royal Mint · Llantrisant |
| Series | Maundy Money |
| Circulation | Non-circulating |
| Demonetised | Yes |
| Composition | Silver (.925) (925/1000 fine) |
| Weight | 1.500g · 0.0446 t oz |
| Diameter | 17.0mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Plain |
| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
| Grade scale | UK (EF/UNC) |
Older laureate and draped bust of King George III right, legend around.
Central crowned denomination above date, legend around.
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Daily limit reachedAbout the 1792 3 Pence - George III Thin numerals – incl. Maundy
The 1792 3 Pence - George III Thin numerals – incl. Maundy is a collector 3 pence coin in the Maundy Money series, struck in 92.5% silver. It weighs 1.5g and measures 17mm across. Reverse design: Central crowned denomination above date, legend around.
It is no longer legal tender, so its value is to collectors only.
Common questions
How much is the 1792 3 Pence - George III Thin numerals – incl. Maundy worth?
No verified sale of the 1792 3 Pence - George III Thin numerals – incl. Maundy has been logged on MyCoinage yet. Its silver content is worth about £1.79 at today's spot price, which puts a floor under its value.
Why is the 1792 threepence called wire money?
Because of the numeral. The reverse has a small crown over a very thin figure 3 that looks as if it were made of wire. Wikipedia applies the name to the matching 1792 groat, and an Aberdeen museum record uses it for the threepence.
Is the 1792 threepence a Maundy coin?
Yes. The Royal Mint Museum catalogues its 1792 threepence as a Maundy coin, whereas it lists the earlier threepences of 1762 to 1780 as currency. It was struck as part of a full Maundy set of penny, twopence, threepence and fourpence.
How many 1792 threepences were made?
No figure is published. CoinVarieties, citing the Krause and Spink catalogues, gives the recorded mintage as unknown, and describes it as a one-year type that is not rare but hard to find in good condition.
Is the 1792 threepence legal tender?
Wikipedia states that all Maundy pieces, from before and after Decimal Day in 1971, are by law deemed denominated in new pence. In practice a 1792 threepence is a collector's coin and is never spent.
How do I identify the 1792 3 Pence - George III Thin numerals – incl. Maundy?
Check the weight 1.5g and diameter 17mm and the metal (92.5% silver) against the specification table on this page. The reverse design is described above.
History and design
In 1792 the small silver coins of George III were given a new look, used for that one year only. Collectors call the issue wire money after the thin, wire-like numerals on the reverse. Wikipedia and Tony Clayton both list 1792 as the only date of this threepence, and CoinVarieties calls it a one-year type.
By this point the threepence had become a Maundy coin. The Royal Mint Museum catalogues its 1792 threepence as Maundy money, while it treats the threepences of 1762 to 1780 as currency. Wikipedia's Royal Maundy article says the four Maundy denominations became distinct, non-circulating pieces in the latter half of the 18th century. No mintage figure is published.
The obverse carries a modified bust of George III facing right with GEORGIVS III DEI GRATIA. Wikipedia's fourpence article describes the second George III obverse, used only in 1792, as a modified bust paired with a narrow numeral. The reverse keeps MAG BRI FR ET HIB REX with the date, around a small crown above a thin figure 3, as an Aberdeen museum record describes it.
The coin is sterling silver at about 1.5 g and 17 mm, the old pre-1817 standard. The Royal Mint Museum example weighs 1.49 g, has a plain edge and is in medal alignment, with both sides the same way up.
Collecting notes
CoinVarieties notes that the 1792 threepence is not rare but is difficult to find in good condition. Clayton's values list gives this date an uncirculated column, which it omits for most of the earlier dates. Clayton's Maundy list shows a full four-coin set for 1792, and the threepence is often seen with its partners.
Check that the thin numeral is present, since the later 1795 and 1800 threepences return to a normal 3. No recognised varieties or mint errors are documented for this coin. The partner coin is the 1792 wire money fourpence, and the type was replaced by the 1795 threepence with normal numerals.
Sources
The history, design, varieties and collecting notes on this page are drawn from these sources. Prices come from recorded sales, not from them.
- Threepence (British coin), Wikipedia (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Values of Three Pence, Tony Clayton, Coins of the UK (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Fourpence (British coin), Wikipedia (read 12 Oct 2026)
- George III Maundy threepence, 1792 (RMM 1046), The Royal Mint Museum, via Museum Data Service (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Maundy Threepence (George III), 1792 (ABDMS017219), Aberdeen Archives, Gallery and Museums, via Museum Data Service (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Great Britain 1792 3 pence, CoinVarieties (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Values of Maundy Sets, Tony Clayton, Coins of the UK (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Royal Maundy, Wikipedia (read 12 Oct 2026)
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