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4 Pence - George III Normal numerals, incl. Maundy
| Issuer | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Year | 1795-1800 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 4 Pence (1⁄60) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A large, bold numeral '4' dominates the central field, surmounted by a royal crown of elaborate design. The date appears in the lower exergual area, flanked by stops, while the abbreviated Latin legend MAG·BRI·FR·ET·HIB·REX encircles the periphery, denoting the king's titles as monarch of Great Britain, France, and Ireland. The composition is characteristic of the Maundy groat series of this period, with minimal ornamentation beyond the crowned numeral and surrounding inscription. |
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| Mintage | 1795 - - 1800 - - |
| Additional information |
Maundy money had functioned as a purely ceremonial royal gift since at least the reign of Charles II, when James II last physically washed the feet of the poor on Maundy Thursday — the washing ritual itself quietly dropped thereafter. These fourpences were struck both for that annual distribution and for general circulation as a groat, though by the 1790s the latter function was largely vestigial in England, the coin surviving mainly in Scotland and parts of the West Country where small silver still changed hands.
The "normal numerals" designation distinguishes this issue from the wire-money Maundy pieces struck concurrently with differently formed date digits — a minor but catalogued distinction among specialists in the series.