½ Guinea - George I (1725–1727)
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Year | 1725–1727 |
| Denomination | ½ Guinea |
| Face value | 52.5p |
| Mint | Royal Mint · Llantrisant |
| Circulation | Circulating |
| Demonetised | Yes |
| Composition | Gold (.9167) (917/1000 fine) |
| Weight | 4.200g · 0.1238 t oz |
| Diameter | 20.0mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Milled |
| Orientation | Coin alignment ↑↓ |
| Obv. artist | John Croker |
| Rev. artist | John Croker |
| Grade scale | UK (EF/UNC) |
Older second laureate portrait of King George I right, legend around.
GEORGIVS D G M BR FR ET HIB REX F D
Crowned cruciform shields around central Garter star with sceptres bearing national emblems in angles, divided date above, legend around.
BRVN ET L DVX S R I A TH ET EL
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AffiliateHalf Guinea - George I price history
Daily limit reachedHalf Guinea - George I 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EF | £1,600.00 🔒 | £1,100.00 (2) | – | £600.00 – £1,600.00 | 0 | 2 | 01-12-2007 | |
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| VF | £460.00 🔒 | £460.00 (1) | – | £460.00 – £460.00 | 0 | 1 | 07-12-2014 | |
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| F | £500.00 🔒 | £410.00 (2) | – | £320.00 – £500.00 | 0 | 2 | 02-09-2018 | |
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| AU-55 | £500.00 🔒 | £500.00 (1) | – | £500.00 – £500.00 | 0 | 1 | 06-12-2015 | |
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About the 1725 Half Guinea - George I
The 1725 Half Guinea - George I is a circulating ½ guinea coin issued from 1725 to 1727, struck in 91.67% gold. It weighs 4.2g and measures 20mm across. Reverse design: Crowned cruciform shields around central Garter star with sceptres bearing national emblems in angles, divided date above, legend around.
It is no longer legal tender, so its value is to collectors only.
Common questions
How much is the 1725 Half Guinea - George I worth?
Verified sold prices for the 1725 Half Guinea - George I run from £410 to £1,100 across 4 grades, taking the median for each grade. Condition makes the difference, so check the grade table above before pricing one. Its gold content is worth about £371 at today's spot price, which puts a floor under its value.
How do you tell a first head from a second head George I half guinea?
By the date as well as the portrait. Tony Clayton lists the first head from 1715 to 1724 and the second head for 1725, 1726 and 1727. Museum catalogues at Leicester and Aberdeen call it the second type or second head.
How many George I second head half guineas were made?
No mintage by date has been published for George I half guineas. Clayton lists three dates for the second head, 1725, 1726 and 1727, and the Royal Mint Museum holds examples of 1725 and 1727.
What was the half guinea worth?
Ten shillings and sixpence. A royal proclamation of December 1717 fixed the guinea at 21 shillings, and the half guinea at half that, so these coins were struck at a settled value from the start.
Did the half guinea change under George II?
Yes. The Royal Mint Museum explains that George II's gold dropped the four separate shields and Garter star for a single ornate crowned shield, the work of John Ochs. George I's second head coins are the last with the cross of shields.
How do I identify the 1725 Half Guinea - George I?
Check the weight 4.2g and diameter 20mm and the metal (91.67% gold) against the specification table on this page. The reverse design is described above.
History and design
George I's half guinea was struck in every year from 1715 to 1727 except 1716, according to Wikipedia. In 1725 a second portrait replaced the first, and Tony Clayton lists the second head for 1725, 1726 and 1727, the last three years of the reign. Coin Hunter likewise records the 1725 coin as a second bust. No mintage by date has been published.
By then the coin's value was settled. A royal proclamation of December 1717 had fixed the guinea at 21 shillings, so the half guinea passed for ten shillings and sixpence. The coins weighed 4.2 grams and measured 20 mm.
The obverse shows the second laureate head of George I facing right, undraped, with GEORGIVS D G M BR FR ET HIB REX F D: George, by the grace of God, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith. John Croker, Chief Engraver at the Royal Mint from 1705, engraved the dies for all half guineas of the reign.
The reverse keeps the cross of four crowned shields, for England and Scotland, France, Ireland and the Electorate, with the Garter star at the centre and sceptres between the shields. The legend BRVN ET L DVX S R I A TH ET EL and the date give the king's titles in Brunswick, Lüneburg and the Holy Roman Empire. The edge is milled diagonally.
This was the last form of the four-shield half guinea. The Royal Mint Museum explains that under George II the gold coins took a single ornate crowned shield designed by John Ochs, while Croker went on to make the younger portrait of the new king.
Collecting notes
Identify the head before anything else, as the first head ended in 1724; the first head half guinea is the companion type. Check that the diagonal milling is complete and the weight is close to 4.2 grams, because filed gold was a continuing problem that the Mint was still tackling under George II.
Clayton notes that gilded sixpences were passed as half guineas in this period; the undraped bust and the sceptres between the shields set the gold coin apart.
Sources
The history, design, varieties and collecting notes on this page are drawn from these sources. Prices come from recorded sales, not from them.
- Values of Half Guineas and Half Sovereigns, Tony Clayton, Coins of the UK (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Half-guinea (Second Head : George I), Aberdeen Archives, Gallery and Museums, via Museum Data Service (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Half guinea, Wikipedia (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Coin, half guinea, 1725, George I, Culture Perth and Kinross, via Museum Data Service (read 12 Oct 2026)
- George I half-guinea, 1725, The Royal Mint Museum, via Museum Data Service (read 12 Oct 2026)
- George I half-guinea, 1727, The Royal Mint Museum, via Museum Data Service (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Half guinea of George I, 1725, laureate head (2nd type), Leicester Museums and Galleries, via Museum Data Service (read 12 Oct 2026)
- George II, Royal Mint Museum (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Ten Shillings and Half Guinea, Tony Clayton, Coins of the UK (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Coin values by year, George I (year pages 1725 to 1727, read one by one), Coin Hunter (read 12 Oct 2026)
