1 Crown - George III Pattern

This is one of several pattern crowns produced in 1817 as the Royal Mint worked toward the Great Recoinage — the sweeping currency reform that withdrew the worn, clipped, and frequently counterfeited hammered and milled coinage that had plagued British commerce for decades. Benedetto Pistrucci had recently arrived in London and was competing for royal favor; the crown patterns of this year represent the experimental stage before his designs were locked in for the standard milled coinage.

At 36g, this pattern runs heavier than the circulation crown that followed. The weight discrepancy almost certainly reflects early indecision about the target specification before Parliament fixed the standard.