Introduction
The Shilling of George V was struck throughout most of the reign and forms one of the principal silver denominations
of the period. The George V Shilling series reflects both the silver debasement of 1920 and later changes to the royal portrait
and reverse design introduced during the reign.
Four distinct coinages can be identified, reflecting the reduction in silver content in 1920,
a later modification to the King’s portrait, and the introduction of a completely new reverse design.
- 1st Coinage (1911–1919) – Struck in sterling silver (.925) and introduced the new reign with the traditional lion standing on crown reverse.
- 2nd Coinage (1920–1926) – Retained the same design but used the reduced .500 silver alloy introduced after the First World War.
- 3rd Coinage (1926–1927) – Introduced a modified portrait of George V, creating a short transitional issue.
- 4th Coinage (1927–1936) – Introduced a completely new reverse design by George Kruger Gray while continuing the later portrait and .500 silver alloy.
Coinage Details
1st Coinage (1911–1919) — The first coinage was struck in traditional sterling silver (.925) and introduced
the effigy of George V by Sir Bertram Mackennal. The reverse retained the lion standing on crown design used on
the Edward VII shillings. These early pieces represent the final circulating sterling-silver shillings before
the debasement of British silver coinage.
2nd Coinage (1920–1926) — In 1920, rising silver prices forced the British government to reduce the
precious-metal content of circulating coinage. From this point onward the shilling was struck in .500 fine silver,
containing equal parts silver and base metal. This change marks the second coinage, which retained the same basic
design but used the new alloy.
3rd Coinage (1926–1927) — A further modification followed with the introduction of a revised portrait
of George V. This short transitional issue retained the debased silver alloy and the earlier lion-on-crown reverse
while introducing subtle changes to the King’s effigy and legend.
A notable feature of the 1926–1927 coinage is the shortened obverse legend,
with the titles FID DEF IND IMP removed from the inscription.
This change accompanied the introduction of the modified effigy of George V
and marks the transitional phase between the earlier and later designs of the reign.
4th Coinage (1927–1936) — The fourth and final coinage introduced a new reverse designed by
George Kruger Gray. The earlier lion standing on crown design was replaced with a more stylised depiction of
a lion standing upon a crown within a decorative field, creating a distinctive and more modern appearance.
This design continued with the modified portrait and the .500 silver alloy through to the end of the reign.
Overall, the George V shilling series reflects the wider economic and artistic changes of the early twentieth century—
particularly the impact of rising silver prices after the First World War and the broader move toward modernised coin
designs during the later years of the reign.
George V Shilling Issues (1911–1936)
1911 – Obv 1
1911 – Obv 2
1911 – Obv 3
1912 – Rev A
1912 – Rev B
1913
1914
1915
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920 – Obv 3
1920 – Obv 4
1921 – Rev D
1921 – Rev E
1922
1923
1924
1925
1926 – First Effigy
1926 – Modified Effigy
1927 – Old Type
1927 – New Type
1928
1929
1930
1931
1932
1933
1934
1935
1936
Specifications
| Years Issued |
1911–1936 |
| Diameter |
23.5 mm |
| Weight |
5.66 g |
| Edge |
Milled |
| Alloy |
1911–1919: 92.5% silver, 7.5% copper
1920–1936: 50% silver, 40% copper, 10% nickel
|
| Obverse Designer |
Sir Bertram Mackennal |
| Reverse Designers |
1911–1926: George William de Saulles
1927–1936: George Kruger Gray
|
Year-by-Year Reference
1913
All the silver from 1913 is trickier than you might expect.
3+B
| Obverse |
Reverse |
 |
|
1914
3+B
| Obverse |
Reverse |
 |
|
1915
3+B
| Obverse |
Reverse |
 |
|
1916
3+B
| Obverse |
Reverse |
 |
|
1917
3+B
| Obverse |
Reverse |
 |
|
1918
3+B
| Obverse |
Reverse |
 |
|
1919
3+C
A very minor realignment of the D of IND gives the 1919 shilling a single year reverse. Intriguingly, Reverse B was re-adopted the following year.
| Obverse |
Reverse |
 |
|
1920
A new obverse was introduced, so two types of 1920 shilling:
Obverse 3 and Obverse 4, both paired with
Reverse B.
| Obverse 3 – Commoner |
Reverse B |
- I of GEORGIVS points between beads
- Small Head in high relief
- Flat neck
- Wide rim
|
- Common reverse paired with both obverses
|
| Obverse 4 – Scarcer |
Reverse B |
- I of GEORGIVS points at a bead
- Large Head in low relief
- Slightly hollow neck
- Narrow rim
|
- Common reverse paired with both obverses
|
Additional Information
-
All 1920 shillings, and all the following dates, are 50% silver.
-
The composition of all the silver coins was debased in 1920 from 92.5% sterling silver to 50% silver.
Initially the alloy used was Ag 50%, Cu 40%, Ni 10%, but this was not found satisfactory.
Ag 50%, Cu 50% was tried briefly and found even worse, and finally Ag 50%, Cu 40%, Ni 5%, Zn 5% was settled on.
This alloy saw the coinage through to the final removal of silver in 1946.
1922
5+E
| Obverse |
Reverse |
 |
|
1923
5+E
Quite easy up to EF, but true UNCs are ever so tricky.
| Obverse |
Reverse |
 |
|
1924
5+E
Quite easy up to EF, but true UNCs are ever so tricky.
| Obverse |
Reverse |
 |
|
1925
5+F
This is the primary condition rarity of the series - N (neither scarce nor
common) in grades below VF, S (Scarce) in VF, R (Rare) in EF, and R2 (Very
rare) in As Struck condition.
| Obverse |
Reverse |
 |
|
1928
1+A
| Obverse |
Reverse |
|
|
1929
1+A
| Obverse |
Reverse |
|
|
1930
1+A
This is another genuine condition rarity - N (neither scarce nor common) in
grades below VF, S (Scarce) in VF, R (Rare) in EF, and R2 (Very rare) in As
Struck condition.
| Obverse |
Reverse |
|
|
1931
1+A
| Obverse |
Reverse |
|
|
1932
1+A
| Obverse |
Reverse |
|
|
1933
1+A
| Obverse |
Reverse |
|
|
1934
1+B
| Obverse |
Reverse |
|
|
1935
1+C
| Obverse |
Reverse |
|
|
1936
1+D
| Obverse |
Reverse |
|
|
References
Attributions and variety identifications for the George V Halfcrown series are based principally on the standard published references listed below.
These works form the core framework for catalogue numbering, die classification, and comparative study.
- Coins of England and the United Kingdom
- ESC – English Silver Coinage
- Bull – English Silver Coinage since 1649
- Davies – British Silver Coins since 1816
