6 Pence - George V 3rd coinage Modified Effigy (1926–1927)

One row for each year the 6 Pence - George V 3rd coinage – Modified Effigy 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 1926 6 Pence - George V 3rd coinage – Modified Effigy

The 1926 6 Pence - George V 3rd coinage – Modified Effigy is a circulating 6 pence coin issued from 1926 to 1927, struck in 50% silver. It weighs 2.83g and measures 19.3mm across. Reverse design: Crowned lion passant atop crown dividing date within circle, legend above, denomination below.

It is no longer legal tender (withdrawn 1980), so its value is to collectors only.

Common questions

History and design

The sixpence that George V inherited in 1911 kept its lion on crown reverse for sixteen years, but the obverse gave the Royal Mint trouble. The Royal Mint Museum describes Bertram Mackennal's portrait as attractive in many ways but technically unsuited to the coinage, and CoinVarieties says the original bust posed problems in obtaining a full strike. In 1926 a modified bust was introduced to improve striking quality.

This modified effigy sixpence was struck dated 1926 and 1927 in the 0.500 silver used since 1920. No reference separates the 1926 coins of the two portraits; CoinVarieties says its 1926 figure of 21,810,000 includes the old type. For 1927 Coin Hunter gives 8,924,873, and CoinVarieties 8,925,000. The oak leaf reverse that replaced it appeared only in proof in 1927 and went into circulation in 1928.

The obverse is Mackennal's bare head of the King facing left with GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX, in its re-cut 1926 form. TreasureRealm points to two changes: the initials BM on the truncation are placed differently, and the beaded border reaches noticeably further inwards.

The reverse is unchanged from the 1911 proclamation, which gave the sixpence the shilling's design: the Royal Crest of a lion standing on a crown, dividing the date, with FID: DEF: IND: IMP: above and SIX PENCE below. The Royal Mint names George William de Saulles as the designer of this crest reverse. The proclamation specifies a grained (milled) edge.

Collecting notes

The 1926 sixpence is the date to check closely, since it exists with both portraits. Look at the BM first, then compare the border width with an earlier coin; Tony Clayton's value tables list the 1926 modified effigy as a separate entry from the normal 1926. Every 1927 sixpence with the lion on crown reverse is this type, since the 1927 proofs carry the oak leaf design. No recognised varieties or mint errors are documented for this coin.

Earlier dates of the same design are the 1920 to 1926 sixpence. Like all sixpences, these remained legal tender as 2.5 new pence until 30 June 1980.