6 Pence - George II Young bust (1728–1741)
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Year | 1728–1741 |
| Denomination | 6 Pence |
| Face value | 2.5p |
| Mint | Royal Mint · Llantrisant |
| Circulation | Circulating |
| Demonetised | Yes |
| Composition | Silver (.925) (925/1000 fine) |
| Weight | 3.000g · 0.0892 t oz |
| Diameter | 21.0mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Milled |
| Orientation | Coin alignment ↑↓ |
| Obv. artist | John Croker |
| Grade scale | UK (EF/UNC) |
Young laureate and draped bust of King George II left, legend around.
GEORGIVS II DEI GRATIA
Crowned cruciform shields around central Garter star, divided date above, legend around.
M B F ET H REX F D B ET L D S R I A T ET E
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Daily limit reachedAbout the 1728 6 Pence - George II Young bust
The 1728 6 Pence - George II Young bust is a circulating 6 pence coin issued from 1728 to 1741, struck in 92.5% silver. It weighs 3g and measures 21mm across. Reverse design: Crowned cruciform shields around central Garter star, divided date above, legend around.
It is no longer legal tender, so its value is to collectors only.
Common questions
How much is the 1728 6 Pence - George II Young bust worth?
No verified sale of the 1728 6 Pence - George II Young bust has been logged on MyCoinage yet. Its silver content is worth about £3.57 at today's spot price, which puts a floor under its value.
How many George II young bust sixpences were made?
No mintage by date has been published for George II sixpences, so scarcity is judged from the dates and provenance marks that survive. The Royal Mint Museum notes that silver coin production was declining throughout the reign.
What do the roses and plumes on a George II sixpence mean?
They are provenance marks showing where the silver came from. The Royal Mint Museum links roses to West of England mines, plumes to the Welsh Copper Company and roses and plumes together to the Pitcoale and Seacoale company.
Why is a sixpence called a tanner?
The origin is uncertain. Wikipedia notes the suggestion that it comes from John Sigismund Tanner, who engraved dies for George II's coins and later became Chief Engraver, and also an alternative derivation from the Angloromani word tawno, meaning a small thing.
Which dates of the young bust sixpence exist?
Tony Clayton lists 1728, 1731, 1732, 1734, 1735, 1736, 1739 and 1741, plus a 1735/4 overdate and a 1728 proof. Coins up to 1736 carry roses and plumes (1728 also plain or with plumes alone); 1739 and 1741 carry roses.
How do I identify the 1728 6 Pence - George II Young bust?
Check the weight 3g and diameter 21mm and the metal (92.5% silver) against the specification table on this page. The reverse design is described above.
History and design
George II came to the throne in 1727 and the first sixpences with his portrait are dated 1728. Tony Clayton lists the young bust sixpence for 1728, 1731, 1732, 1734, 1735, 1736, 1739 and 1741, after which the older bust took over in 1743. No mintage has been published for any date.
The Royal Mint Museum describes a reign in which silver coinage declined in favour of gold. Silver was cheap in Europe compared with Asia, so trading companies could profit by exporting it, and silver was worth more as bullion than as coin. As a result, the Museum says, production of silver coin dwindled.
The obverse shows John Croker's young laureate and draped bust of the king facing left, with GEORGIVS II DEI GRATIA. Croker had been Chief Engraver since 1705 and, according to the Royal Mint Museum, was by 1729 the only man at the Mint able to make the punches for the king's head. John Sigismund Tanner was appointed as his assistant that year and took charge of the reverse dies.
The reverse keeps the cross of four crowned shields (England impaling Scotland, France, Ireland and the Electorate) around the Garter star, with the date divided at the top. The legend M B F ET H REX F D B ET L D S R I A T ET E gives the king's titles: King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg, Arch-Treasurer and Elector of the Holy Roman Empire. The angles hold provenance marks: roses and plumes for the Pitcoale and Seacoale company, roses alone for West of England mines and plumes for the Welsh Copper Company. The edge is grained.
Varieties and errors
The 1728 sixpence comes in three forms: with no marks, with plumes and with roses and plumes, and a proof of that date is also listed by Clayton and Coin Hunter. Both also list a 1735/4 overdate. From 1739 the marks change to roses alone.
Collecting notes
Identify the marks in the reverse angles first, then the date, using magnification to check for the 1735/4 overdate. Wear shows first on the hair above the ear and on the crowns of the shields.
The portrait changed in 1743; compare with the older bust sixpence if the date is worn. The nickname tanner is sometimes traced to John Sigismund Tanner, though Wikipedia records a different derivation as well.
Sources
The history, design, varieties and collecting notes on this page are drawn from these sources. Prices come from recorded sales, not from them.
- George II, Royal Mint Museum (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Values of Sixpences, Tony Clayton, Coins of the UK (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Coin values by year, George II (year pages 1728 to 1741, read one by one), Coin Hunter (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Sixpence (British coin), Wikipedia (read 12 Oct 2026)
- George II sixpence, 1732, The Royal Mint Museum, via Museum Data Service (read 12 Oct 2026)
- George II sixpence, 1728 (plumes), The Royal Mint Museum, via Museum Data Service (read 12 Oct 2026)
- John Croker (engraver), Wikipedia (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Sixpence, Tony Clayton, Coins of the UK (read 12 Oct 2026)
- John Sigismund Tanner, Wikipedia (read 12 Oct 2026)
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