William III Sixpence
1696
William III Sixpence
In 1696 William III ordered the old hammered coinage to be demonetized since so much of it had been clipped down by people filching silver to sell as higher-priced bullion. This meant the coins were all sorts of different shapes and sizes, making nonsense of their face value. Halfcrowns, for instance, were supposed all to be worth the same but in practice each coin had a different amount of silver in it. Since everyone relied on the intrinsic value of coinage, the mess was disrupting the process of exchange and affecting the relationship of silver coins to gold.
Description
William III sixpence dated 1696
struck at London.
State: England
Reign/Issue Authority: William III
Denomination: Sixpence
Classification: First bust, early harp, large crowns
Mint: London Moneyer:
Issue Date: 1696
Metal: Silver
Weight (grams): 2.8g
Diameter (mm): 21mm
Obverse Description: Laureate bust right.
Obverse Legend: GVLIELMVS III DEI GRA
Reverse Description: Crowned cruciform shields of England, Scotland, France and Ireland; lion of Nassau at centre.
Reverse Legend: MAG BR FRA ET HIB REX 1696
References: Spink 3520; ESC 1533
struck at London.
State: England
Reign/Issue Authority: William III
Denomination: Sixpence
Classification: First bust, early harp, large crowns
Mint: London Moneyer:
Issue Date: 1696
Metal: Silver
Weight (grams): 2.8g
Diameter (mm): 21mm
Obverse Description: Laureate bust right.
Obverse Legend: GVLIELMVS III DEI GRA
Reverse Description: Crowned cruciform shields of England, Scotland, France and Ireland; lion of Nassau at centre.
Reverse Legend: MAG BR FRA ET HIB REX 1696
References: Spink 3520; ESC 1533