½ Crown - George IV 1st portrait 2nd reverse (1823–1824)

One row for each year the ½ Crown - George IV 1st portrait – 2nd reverse 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 1823 Half Crown - George IV – 2nd reverse

The 1823 Half Crown - George IV – 2nd reverse is a circulating ½ crown coin issued from 1823 to 1824, struck in 92.5% silver. It weighs 14.14g and measures 32mm across. Reverse design: © Heritage Auctions.

Mintage figures are recorded for 2 years between 1823 and 1824, 2,469,300 coins in all. 1824 is the scarcest date, with 465,600 struck. It is no longer legal tender (withdrawn 1969), so its value is to collectors only.

Common questions

History and design

George IV's half crown began in 1820 with Benedetto Pistrucci's laureate head and an ornate shield reverse by Jean Baptiste Merlen. In 1823 the reverse was replaced by a plainer shield inside the Garter, while the portrait stayed the same. Tony Clayton dates this second reverse to 1823 and 1824 only.

The type was soon overtaken. The King disliked Pistrucci's portrait and, according to Wikipedia, in 1823 demanded a new likeness based on Francis Chantrey's bust, which Pistrucci refused to copy. In 1824 the half crown moved to a bare head and a third reverse. Coin Hunter gives 465,696 for 1824 with this reverse; its 2,003,760 for 1823 is a total for the year that includes coins with the first reverse.

The obverse is Pistrucci's laureate head facing left with GEORGIUS IIII D: G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D: around, the IIII form of the regnal number found on George IV's early coins.

The reverse shows a crowned, straight-sided shield of the royal arms encircled by the Garter, which carries the motto HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE. ANNO and the date sit below. The edge is milled.

Collecting notes

This is the reverse to look for when sorting 1823 half crowns, since the same date also comes with the earlier garnished shield. The Garter lettering and the crown above the shield wear first on the reverse, and the laurel and curls on the obverse. 1824 had a much smaller mintage than 1823, and 1824 also saw the first bare-head half crowns, so check the portrait as well as the date.

The type before this one is the first reverse half crown, and the bare-head coin that followed is the third reverse half crown. Half crowns ceased to be legal tender in January 1970.