THIS IS FOR WHAT I FEEL IS A LOVELY DETAILED
HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER
1797 2 Pence - George III 2nd issue; 'Cartwheel'
| Composition | Copper |
|---|
| Weight | 56.7 g |
|---|
| Diameter | 41 mm |
|---|
| Thickness | 5 mm |
|---|
Obverse
Laureate and draped portrait of King George III right, legend around on raised rim.
Script: Latin
Lettering: GEORGIUS III · D:G · REX.
Unabridged legend: Georgius III Dei Gratia Rex
Translation: George the Third by the Grace of God King
Engraver: Conrad Heinrich Küchler
Reverse
Seated figure of Britannia facing left, trident in left hand, olive branch in raised right hand, shield bearing Union flag resting on left, sea behind with ship on left, mint name below shield, legend above and date below on raised rim.
Script: Latin
Lettering:
BRITANNIA.
SOHO
1797
Engraver: Conrad Heinrich Küchler
Edge
Plain
The largest regal coin to circulate in Britain, these pieces were produced by Matthew Boulton using a steam powered press at the Soho mint in Birmingham beginning in 1797.
From 1770 until the end of the 18th century the practice of melting down the official copper coins and making lightweight forgeries had become so widespread that it prompted industrialist Matthew Boulton to offer a potential solution. He proposed that each coin should actually be made to contain its value in copper (two ounces avoirdupois), that the quality should be improved by using a retaining collar during striking (to give a perfectly round coin) and by designing the coins with thick raised borders to prevent them wearing so easily.