Rare: fewer than 500,000 minted. Sells occasionally: 4 verified sales in the last 12 months.
6 Pence - George IIII 1st reverse (1821)
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Year | 1821 |
| Denomination | 6 Pence |
| Face value | 2.5p |
| Mintage | 863,280 |
| Mint | Royal Mint · Llantrisant |
| Circulation | Circulating |
| Demonetised | 1980 |
| Composition | Silver (.925) (925/1000 fine) |
| Weight | 2.830g · 0.0842 t oz |
| Diameter | 19.0mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Milled |
| Orientation | Coin alignment ↑↓ |
| Obv. artist | Benedetto Pistrucci |
| Rev. artist | Jean Baptiste Merlen |
| Grade scale | UK (EF/UNC) |
Laureate portrait of King George IV left, legend around.
GEORGIUS IIII D: G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:
© Heritage Auctions
ANNO 1821
6 Pence - George IIII 1st reverse market value
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Affiliate6 Pence - George IIII 1st reverse price history
Daily limit reached6 Pence - George IIII 1st reverse value by grade
Realised auction prices · ⭐ Pro Expand rows for individual sale records| Grade | Latest | Median | 30d Δ | All-time range | Sales (1yr) | Total sales | Last sale | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VF | £275.00 🔒 eBay | £102.66 | – | £40.97 – £275.00 | 3 | 3 | 26-09-2026 | |
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| aUNC | £296.39 🔒 eBay | £296.39 (1) | – | £296.39 – £296.39 | 1 | 1 | 19-10-2026 | |
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About the 1821 6 Pence - George IIII 1st reverse
The 1821 6 Pence - George IIII 1st reverse is a circulating 6 pence coin, struck in 92.5% silver. It weighs 2.83g and measures 19mm across. Reverse design: © Heritage Auctions.
863,280 were struck. It is no longer legal tender (withdrawn 1980), so its value is to collectors only.
Common questions
How much is the 1821 6 Pence - George IIII 1st reverse worth?
Verified sold prices for the 1821 6 Pence - George IIII 1st reverse run from £103 to £296 across 2 grades, taking the median for each grade. Condition makes the difference, so check the grade table above before pricing one. Its silver content is worth about £3.37 at today's spot price, which puts a floor under its value.
How many 1821 sixpences were made?
Coin Hunter gives 863,280 sixpences dated 1821, with proofs as well. It was the only year of this design: in 1824 the shield was placed inside the Garter, and in 1826 a new bare head and lion reverse followed.
What is the 1821 BBITANNIAR sixpence?
A die error in the obverse legend. Tony Clayton explains that the engraver left out the first R of BRITANNIAR and added an extra B in trying to correct it. Coin Hunter lists it as a separate variety from the normal 1821 sixpence.
Who designed the 1821 sixpence?
Benedetto Pistrucci engraved the laureate portrait for George IV's first coins in 1820, and museum records note his initials B.P. below the head. The reverse carries the initials of Jean Baptiste Merlen, a French engraver at the Royal Mint, among the border beads.
Is an 1821 sixpence still legal tender?
No. Sixpences remained legal tender at 2.5 new pence after decimalisation, but Wikipedia records that this ended on 30 June 1980. The Royal Mint Museum confirms the sixpence was demonetised in 1980.
How do I identify the 1821 6 Pence - George IIII 1st reverse?
Check the weight 2.83g 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 new reign of George IV brought a new portrait to the silver. The Royal Mint Museum records that Benedetto Pistrucci engraved a skilful, if somewhat unflattering, portrait for the first coins of the reign in 1820. The sixpence with this portrait and its first reverse was struck only in 1821.
Coin Hunter gives 863,280 sixpences for 1821, with proofs as well. Tony Clayton explains that George IV used two obverses and three reverses on his sixpence. The first reverse lasted only for 1821, replaced by a shield in the Garter in 1824, and both sides changed again in 1826.
The obverse shows the laureate head of the king facing left with GEORGIUS IIII D: G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D: around and the initials B.P., for Benedetto Pistrucci, below.
The reverse, described in a Science Museum Group record, has a garnished and crowned shield of the royal arms: England in the first and fourth quarters, Scotland in the second, Ireland in the third, and the arms of Hanover under the electoral cap at the centre. A rose sits below between ANNO and 1821, with a thistle and a shamrock at the sides. Wikipedia notes that Jean Baptiste Merlen's initials appear in the reverse beads of the sixpences and shillings of this period. The edge is milled.
Varieties and errors
The 1821 sixpence is known with a legend error. Clayton explains that the engraver left out the first R of BRITANNIAR and then added an extra B in an attempt to correct it, and Coin Hunter lists it separately. Proofs are also known.
Collecting notes
Read the obverse legend letter by letter for the doubled B. The high points of the laurel wreath and the crown above the shield show wear first. The type that followed is the 1824 to 1826 Garter sixpence.
Sources
The history, design, varieties and collecting notes on this page are drawn from these sources. Prices come from recorded sales, not from them.
- The Sixpence and Values of Sixpences, Tony Clayton, Coins of the UK (read 12 Oct 2026)
- 1821 Coin Values, George IV, Coin Hunter (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Benedetto Pistrucci, Royal Mint Museum (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Coin, silver. Sixpence of George IV, 1821 (V&A no. 1817-1902), Science Museum Group, via Museum Data Service (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Sixpence; silver of George IV, 1821 (NCM 1934-73), Nottingham Museums, via Museum Data Service (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Jean Baptiste Merlen, Wikipedia (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Sixpence (British coin), Wikipedia (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Sixpence, Royal Mint Museum (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Benedetto Pistrucci, Wikipedia (read 12 Oct 2026)
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