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1/2 Sovereign - William IV large type
| Issuer | Royal Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 1835-1837 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Bare-headed right-facing effigy of King William IV, modelled by William Wyon in a bold, naturalistic style characteristic of the large-type series. The king's portrait is rendered with considerable sculptural depth, displaying finely detailed hair and strong facial features. The Latin legend GULIELMUS IIII D:G: BRITTANIAR: REX: F:D: runs around the periphery, interrupted by the truncation of the neck at the lower obverse. The entire design is enclosed within a finely executed dentilled border. |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | GULIELMUS IIII D:G: BRITTANIAR: REX: F:D: (Translation: William the Fourth by the Grace of God King of the Britains Defender of the Faith) |
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| Additional information |
William IV's half sovereign exists in two distinct types, and the large type was abandoned partway through his reign in favor of a reduced-diameter version — a practical concession to the persistent public habit of confusing the piece with the full sovereign. The Royal Mint had faced this complaint for years. The switch happened in 1836, making large-type examples from 1835 and early 1836 the product of a format already under review.
Spink lists this under two reference numbers precisely because the boundary between large and small types within a single year creates attribution difficulties that still generate disagreement among specialists.