Kingdom of Great Britain

Kind

kingdom

Region

Western Europe, Europe

Objects are filed under the historical authority that actually issued or made them. A recorded period comes from the issuer's own reference description and is left blank where no source states it.

Sorted by date, earliest first.

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

modern coins

Goblet with an enclosed three-pence coin from 1713

c. 1713 - c. 1725

Goblet on a conical foot with a hollow folded rim. Hollow baluster stem with a silver coin (three pence) of Queen Anne from the year 1713 in the knop. Bell-shaped bowl with thick base containing an inserted air bubble. The Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, holds this object as BK-NM-10754-353; its record gives material record…

Documented

Partial type record

Cleveland Museum of Art

modern coins

Five Guineas: George I (obverse); Shields and Star of the Order of the Garter (Cleveland Museum of Art 1969.206)

1716

The Act of the Union of 1706 by Queen Anne added the arms of Scotland to those of England. The shields now read as England & Scotland, France, Ireland, and Hanover. Around the shields the many titles of the king are abbreviated to sometimes only one letter: BRVN ET·L·DVX S·I·R·A·TH ET·EL Duke of Brunswick and Lueneb…

Documented

Partial type record

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

modern coins

England, George I, cartwheel penny, 1797

1719

Copper coin. Obverse: within a broad rim with incuse legend, laureate bust of the king to the right. Reverse: within a broad rim with incuse legend, Britannia seated facing left on a rock in the sea, against which a shield rests, holding a trident and branch. To her left, a ship. Year in the legend at the bottom. Th…

Documented

Partial type record

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

modern coins

Shilling from England of George I, 1723

1723

Silver coin. Obverse: laureate bust of the king to the right. Reverse: around a cross within a circle surrounded by rays, four crowned coats of arms arranged in a cross. In the angles the letters SS and C [=South Sea Company]. Date at the top in the legend. Cable rim. The Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, holds this object as…

Documented

Partial type record

Cleveland Museum of Art

modern coins

Five Guineas: George II (obverse); Shield of Arms (Cleveland Museum of Art 1969.207)

1731

This coin was probably struck as a proof. Under George II the same denominations of coinage appeared as in previous reigns since the coinage reform of 1662. The elephant, or elephant and castle no longer appear on the obverse. In 1729 the initials E I C appeared below the head on some of the five guineas, and on the…

Documented

Partial type record

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

modern coins

Shilling, George II, King of England, shilling struck from the silver captured at Lima

1745

Silver shilling. Obverse: bust of a man with laurel wreath within inscription. Reverse: four crowned coats of arms; in the centre: badge within inscription. The Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, holds this object as NG-VG-1-2388; its record gives material recorded as silver (metal); technique striking (metalworking); measurem…

Documented

Partial type record

Cleveland Museum of Art

modern coins

Five Guineas: George II (obverse); Shield of Arms (Cleveland Museum of Art 1969.208)

1746

A new bust now appears on the coinage showing the king as an older man. The word LIMA that appears below the bust on this year only, refers to bullion captured by Admiral Anson from a Spanish plate fleet at Manila during his circumnavigation of the globe (1739–43). It also probably includes bullion supplied by a num…

Documented

Partial type record

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

modern coins

Half crown coin of George II, King of England, coin struck from silver captured at Lima

1746

Obverse: bust of a man with laurel wreath within a legend. Reverse: four crowned coats of arms; in the center: mark of distinction within a legend; edge lettering. The Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, holds this object as NG-VG-1-2413; its record gives material recorded as silver (metal); technique striking (metalworking); m…

Documented

Partial type record

Cleveland Museum of Art

modern coins

Guinea: George III (obverse); Shield of Arms (Cleveland Museum of Art 1969.209)

1761

No five- or two-guinea pieces were issued for general circulation during this reign, but there were large numbers of guineas, the unit piece. The reign saw a profusion of pattern and proof pieces being struck, mostly because a further coinage reform was imminent, as was the removal of the Royal Mint from the Tower o…

Documented

Partial type record

Smithsonian National Postal Museum

stamps

Stamp from the Stamp Act of 1765

1765

Stamp from the Stamp Act of 1765 — postage stamp in the Smithsonian National Postal Museum collection (object 0.022044.2), catalogued by the museum as Scott Great Britain RM31a. Dated by the museum: 1765. Medium: blue-grey paper; vellum; ink; metal. The Stamp Act of 1765 was a British tax on printed papers in the A…

Documented

Partial type record

Cleveland Museum of Art

modern coins

Two Guinea Piece: George III (obverse); Shield of Arms (Cleveland Museum of Art 1969.210)

1773

This piece is another example of the fine patterns being produced at this period. With the coming reform of the coinage, the five- and two-guinea pieces do not appear again for general circulation. John Sigismund Tanner came to England in 1728, was appointed chief engraver in 1741 and died in 1775. He was responsibl…

Documented

Partial type record

Cleveland Museum of Art

modern coins

Five Guineas: George III (obverse); Shield of Arms (Cleveland Museum of Art 1969.211)

1777

This piece demonstrates the ability of the artist. Richard Yeo was appointed assistant engraver at the Royal Mint in 1749, chief engraver in 1775, and died in 1779. He was responsible for a large number of pattern pieces and for some of the currency coins of the period. Cleveland Museum of Art object 1969.211: Five…

Documented

Partial type record

Heritage Auctions via Numista

banknotes

5 Shillings, Royal Bank of Scotland, Scotland, 1797 (Pick 293)

1797

This 5 Shillings note was issued in Scotland by the Royal Bank of Scotland, dated 1797. It belongs to the Pound sterling (1707-1970) currency system. Issuing authority and period recorded in the catalogue: George III (1760-1820). and is printed on paper. The Standard Catalog of World Paper Money lists the type as Pi…

Documented

Partial type record

Smabs Sputzer

modern coins

Cartwheel penny, 1797

1797

The 1797 cartwheel penny was an official British copper coin produced by the industrialist Matthew Boulton at his Soho Mint in Birmingham under government contract. Throughout most of the eighteenth century, official pennies had been minted in silver and were rarely seen in general circulation, being struck primaril…

Well documented

Partial type record

Browse other historical issuers and makers in the Atlas, or read how attributions are made in the editorial method.