4 Pence - William IV (1836–1837)

One row for each year the 4 Pence - William IV was struck. Prices are medians of verified sold listings matched to that year from the listing: circulated is worn condition up to Extremely Fine, uncirculated is About Uncirculated or better. A count in brackets means fewer than three sales behind the figure; a grey figure marked "type" is the median across every year, shown where that year has no sale of its own yet. Most types have been searched year by year only since October 2026, so later years are still filling in. Use the grade table below for a price by condition across all years.

About the 1836 4 Pence - William IV

The 1836 4 Pence - William IV is a circulating 4 pence coin issued from 1836 to 1837, struck in 92.5% silver. It weighs 1.89g and measures 16mm across. Reverse design: Seated figure of Britannia right, trident in left hand, shield in right hand, denomination around, date in exergue.

Mintage figures are recorded for 2 years between 1836 and 1837, 5,215,200 coins in all. 1837 is the scarcest date, with 962,200 struck. It is no longer legal tender, so its value is to collectors only.

Common questions

History and design

By 1800 the fourpence had become a Maundy coin, given as ceremonial alms rather than spent. In 1836 it was revived for everyday use to fill the gap between the penny and the sixpence. Wikipedia records that the MP Joseph Hume urged the change, pointing out that fourpence was the London hackney cab fare for up to half a mile, and that a proclamation of 3 February 1836 made the new groat legal tender.

The coin was sold directly by the Royal Mint rather than issued through the Bank of England. It was not loved: cab drivers who had been handed a sixpence and kept the change now received exactly fourpence, and they called the coin a joey after Hume. Wikipedia's figures, from the Coincraft catalogue, give 4,253,040 for 1836 and 962,280 for 1837, the year the King died.

The obverse carries William Wyon's engraving of the King's bare head facing right, based on a bust by Sir Francis Chantrey, with W.W. on the neck and the legend GULIELMUS IIII D: G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D: ("William IV, by the grace of God, King of the Britains, Defender of the Faith"). The Royal Mint Museum notes that Wyon's portraits of George IV and William IV were not entirely his own work for this reason.

The reverse, by Wyon, shows Britannia seated right, holding a trident and resting her hand on a shield with the crosses of the Union flag, with FOUR PENCE around and the date in the exergue. Wikipedia compares it with the Britannia of the copper penny. The coin is sterling silver, 16 mm across, and has a milled edge.

Varieties and errors

The Royal Mint Museum holds proof groats of both 1836 and 1837 alongside the currency coins, and patterns dated 1836, including one with a 4 P reverse. No overdates or mint errors are documented for William IV's groat.

Collecting notes

The 1837 is the scarcer date, with under a quarter of the 1836 output. Check the reverse first: a seated Britannia means this circulating groat, while a crowned 4 in a wreath means the William IV Maundy fourpence. Wear shows first on the King's hair and on Britannia's shield and knee.

Groats were confused with sixpences when new; Wikipedia records a Lambeth butcher taking nine of them as sixpences. The same Britannia reverse continued on Victoria's groats from 1838, so check the portrait and legend to confirm the reign.