Elite: fewer than 10,000 minted.
3 Pence - George IIII Maundy issues (1822–1830)
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Year | 1822–1830 |
| Denomination | 3 Pence |
| Mintage | 3,960 |
| Mint | Royal Mint · Llantrisant |
| Series | Maundy Money |
| Circulation | Non-circulating |
| Composition | Silver (.925) (925/1000 fine) |
| Weight | 1.410g · 0.0419 t oz |
| Diameter | 16.0mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Plain |
| Orientation | Coin alignment ↑↓ |
| Rev. artist | Jean Baptiste Merlen |
| Grade scale | UK (EF/UNC) |
Laureate bust of King George IV left, legend around.
GEORGIUS IIII D G BRITANNIAR REX F D
Crowned denomination dividing date within oak wreath.
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AffiliateAbout the 1822 3 Pence - George IIII Maundy issues
The 1822 3 Pence - George IIII Maundy issues is a collector 3 pence coin issued from 1822 to 1830 in the Maundy Money series, struck in 92.5% silver. It weighs 1.41g and measures 16mm across. Reverse design: Crowned denomination dividing date within oak wreath.
A mintage of 3,960 is recorded for one date of this type; figures for each year are not held.
Common questions
How much is the 1822 3 Pence - George IIII Maundy issues worth?
No verified sale of the 1822 3 Pence - George IIII Maundy issues has been logged on MyCoinage yet. Its silver content is worth about £1.68 at today's spot price, which puts a floor under its value.
Why is the King's head small on the 1822 threepence?
The punch for the threepence head broke and, with no time to make another, the twopence punch was used instead. Tony Clayton cites H. A. Seaby's English Silver Coinage from 1649 for this, and Wikipedia gives the same explanation.
How many George IV Maundy threepences were made?
CoinVarieties, citing the standard catalogues, gives 3,168 for 1830. Figures for 1822 to 1829 were not found in a published reference, so the total for the reign is not known from the sources available.
Who designed the George IV Maundy threepence?
The reverse, a crowned 3 dividing the date within an oak wreath, was created by Jean Baptiste Merlen for 1822. Wikipedia notes this reverse is still struck on Maundy money, with only the crown altered in 1888 by Leonard Charles Wyon.
Is a George IV Maundy 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. They are technically legal tender but never circulate, being kept for their silver and collector interest.
How do I identify the 1822 3 Pence - George IIII Maundy issues?
Check the weight 1.41g and diameter 16mm and the metal (92.5% silver) against the specification table on this page. The reverse design is described above.
History and design
Wikipedia records that 1821 was the last year in which no Maundy coins were struck. From 1822 a full set of penny, twopence, threepence and fourpence was made every year to 1830. Tony Clayton notes that after 1820 these small silver coins were struck solely for the Maundy ceremony, which is why they rarely turn up in worse than very fine condition.
Wikipedia adds that by this reign the threepence was struck primarily as a Maundy coin, although some were produced for use in the colonies. CoinVarieties gives 3,168 threepences for 1830. Figures for the earlier dates are not published in any source found.
The obverse has a small laureate head of the King facing left, with GEORGIUS IIII D G BRITANNIAR REX F D. On the 1822 coin the head is smaller still: Clayton, citing H. A. Seaby, explains that the threepence punch broke and the twopence punch was used instead.
The reverse is the new part. Jean Baptiste Merlen, a French engraver who joined the Royal Mint in 1820, created a crowned 3 dividing the date within an oak wreath. Wikipedia's Royal Maundy article notes that this reverse has been struck every year since 1822, with only the crown altered in 1888. The Royal Mint Museum's 1822 example has a plain edge and coin alignment.
Varieties and errors
The 1822 small head is the one recognised variety, set by the borrowed twopence punch. Proofs exist: the Royal Mint Museum holds an 1822 proof, and Clayton lists a proof Maundy set dated 1828. No mint errors are documented.
Collecting notes
Clayton describes George IV sets as available for every year but not an easy series to collect. Compare an 1822 threepence with a later date and the smaller portrait is clear at a glance. Look for hairlines from cleaning and for mount marks.
The penny of the same sets is the George IV Maundy penny.
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)
- Jean Baptiste Merlen, Wikipedia (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Threepence coin (Maundy Money) of George IV, 1827 (V&A no. 818-1906), Science Museum Group, via Museum Data Service (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Values of Three Pence, Tony Clayton, Coins of the UK (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Royal Maundy, Wikipedia (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Three Pence, Tony Clayton, Coins of the UK (read 12 Oct 2026)
- George IV Maundy threepence, 1822 (RMM 1339), The Royal Mint Museum, via Museum Data Service (read 12 Oct 2026)
- George IV proof threepence, 1822 (RMM 1338), The Royal Mint Museum, via Museum Data Service (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Great Britain 1830 3 pence, CoinVarieties (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Values of Maundy Sets, Tony Clayton, Coins of the UK (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Maundy Money, Tony Clayton, Coins of the UK (read 12 Oct 2026)
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