4 Pence - George I incl. Maundy (1717–1727)
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Year | 1717–1727 |
| Denomination | 4 Pence |
| Mint | Royal Mint · Llantrisant |
| Series | Maundy Money |
| Circulation | Non-circulating |
| Demonetised | Yes |
| Composition | Silver (.925) (925/1000 fine) |
| Weight | 2.000g · 0.0595 t oz |
| Diameter | 19.0mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Plain |
| Orientation | Coin alignment ↑↓ |
| Grade scale | UK (EF/UNC) |
Laureate and draped bust of King George I right, legend around.
Central denomination below crown dividing date, legend around.
Find this on eBay
Affiliate4 Pence - George I incl. Maundy price history
Daily limit reachedAbout the 1717 4 Pence - George I incl. Maundy
The 1717 4 Pence - George I incl. Maundy is a collector 4 pence coin issued from 1717 to 1727 in the Maundy Money series, struck in 92.5% silver. It weighs 2g and measures 19mm across. Reverse design: Central denomination below crown dividing date, legend around.
It is no longer legal tender, so its value is to collectors only.
Common questions
How much is the 1717 4 Pence - George I incl. Maundy worth?
No verified sale of the 1717 4 Pence - George I incl. Maundy has been logged on MyCoinage yet. Its silver content is worth about £2.38 at today's spot price, which puts a floor under its value.
What years were George I fourpences struck?
Tony Clayton lists 1717, 1721, 1723 and 1727. His Maundy list shows the fourpence dated with the twopence and threepence in 1717 and 1721, and with all four denominations in 1723 and 1727.
Was the George I groat a circulating coin?
Yes. Wikipedia says groats were issued irregularly for general circulation from Charles II to George III, and Clayton writes that a milled fourpence was made fairly regularly until George III. Only after that was the crowned 4 struck solely for the Maundy.
How many George I fourpences were made?
No mintage figures are published for any date. Wikipedia records that very little silver came to the Mint in this period, and the fourpence was dated in only four years of the reign.
Is a George I fourpence legal tender?
Clayton records that the crowned 4 Maundy groat was revalued as 4 new pence at decimalisation in 1971, and Wikipedia states that all Maundy pieces are by law deemed denominated in new pence. A George I groat is a collector's coin and is never spent.
How do I identify the 1717 4 Pence - George I incl. Maundy?
Check the weight 2g and diameter 19mm and the metal (92.5% silver) against the specification table on this page. The reverse design is described above.
History and design
The fourpence, or groat, was still a coin for everyday use under George I. Wikipedia's groat article says groats were issued on an irregular basis for general circulation from Charles II to George III, and Tony Clayton writes that the milled fourpence was made fairly regularly until George III's reign, after which the crowned 4 was struck only for the Maundy. Clayton lists George I fourpences dated 1717, 1721, 1723 and 1727. No mintage figures are published.
Under George I the Maundy gift was still made up of ordinary coin. Wikipedia's Royal Maundy article records that no denomination above the penny is known to have been used in the gift before 1731, and that both men and women received Maundy money from this reign on, each group numbering the King's age.
The obverse shows a right-facing bust of George I. A Culture Perth record of a 1723 fourpence transcribes the obverse legend as GEORGIVS DEI GRA and the reverse as MAG BRI FR ET HIB REX with the date, around a crowned 4. Clayton explains that the crowned numeral first appeared on the groat in 1686 as IIII for James II, and that the Arabic 4 used from William and Mary onwards has not changed in essentials since.
The Royal Mint Museum's 1717 fourpence weighs 1.9 g and has a plain edge.
Collecting notes
Clayton's Maundy list shows that only 1723 and 1727 have coins of all four denominations, so a matched George I set is possible only for those two dates. Read the small date with a lens and check for mounting marks. At decimalisation the groat was revalued at four new pence. The penny of the reign is the George I silver 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.
- Values of Fourpence (Groats), Tony Clayton, Coins of the UK (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Values of Maundy Sets, Tony Clayton, Coins of the UK (read 12 Oct 2026)
- George I fourpence, 1717 (RMM 340), The Royal Mint Museum, via Museum Data Service (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Maundy fourpence, 1723 (BC352), Culture Perth and Kinross, via Museum Data Service (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Royal Maundy, Wikipedia (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Four Pence, Tony Clayton, Coins of the UK (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Groat (English coin), Wikipedia (read 12 Oct 2026)
- History of the British penny (1714 to 1901), Wikipedia (read 12 Oct 2026)
More from Maundy Money
